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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: suit · club · pitch · rule · spell · stem

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. suit — clothes
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. spell — a short time
  5. suit — to fit
  6. club — for dancing
  7. pitch — completely
  8. club — a group
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. spell — letters
  12. club — for golf
  13. suit — in cards
  14. stem — to come from
  15. rule — government
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. spell — magic

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