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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: rush · pitch · mug · lash · squash · racket · key · present

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. key — in music
  3. key — the most important part
  4. mug — a cup
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. mug — to rob
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. present — there
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. rush — hurry
  14. squash — to crush
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. present — the time now
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. mug — a face
  20. pitch — completely
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. key — for a lock
  24. squash — the sport

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