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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: squash · court · date · plane · row · suit · rule · pitch

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — a tool
  4. rule — government
  5. suit — clothes
  6. squash — the sport
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — the fruit
  9. suit — to fit
  10. rule — a law
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. row — to paddle
  13. row — a line
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. pitch — completely
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. court — for sport
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. squash — to crush
  20. court — of law
  21. court — of a king
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. suit — in cards
  24. squash — the vegetable

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com