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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 116 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: cell · deal · drill · fall · pitch · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. drill — a practice
  3. deal — to handle
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pitch — completely
  6. fall — to drop
  7. cell — in biology
  8. suit — clothes
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. fall — to drop
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. drill — the tool
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. cell — a phone
  15. drill — army training
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. fall — the season

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