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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.

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
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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: spell · wound · pitcher · cap · mark · band

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. spell — magic
  4. band — a ring
  5. mark — a grade
  6. spell — a short time
  7. band — a music group
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. cap — of ice
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. mark — a trace
  14. spell — letters
  15. cap — a lid
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. cap — a hat
  18. wound — an injury

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