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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.

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: pitch · band · rush · spell · pitcher · rash · lie · jam

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. spell — letters
  16. band — a music group
  17. spell — magic
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. band — a ring
  23. lie — to recline
  24. spell — a short time

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