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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: racket · safe · pitcher · rash · suit · land · fan · present

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. present — there
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. suit — clothes
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. land — ground
  8. present — a gift
  9. rash — hasty
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rash — a series
  14. land — a country
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. land — to come down
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. present — the time now
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. suit — in cards
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. safe — out of danger

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