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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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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: pit · squash · suit · board · bulb · rush · band · firm

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. band — a ring
  3. suit — clothes
  4. band — a music group
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. firm — a company
  7. suit — in cards
  8. rush — hurry
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. board — to get on
  14. suit — to fit
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. board — a committee
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pit — a hole
  20. squash — the sport
  21. firm — steady
  22. bulb — for light
  23. firm — decided
  24. band — a rubber band

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