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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: stem · suit · rash · pop · squash · leaves · face · pitch

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. face — to point toward
  4. face — to confront
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — a series
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. rash — hasty
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. stem — to come from
  11. face — part of the head
  12. squash — the sport
  13. pitch — completely
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pop — to visit
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. pop — soda
  21. suit — clothes
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. pop — music
  24. squash — to crush

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