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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
468
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 · mouse · cell · craft · rush · deal · shower · bound

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rush — hurry
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. cell — a phone
  8. craft — boats
  9. cell — in biology
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. shower — rain
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. bound — tied together
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bound — certain
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. shower — to wash
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bound — obliged
  24. pitch — completely

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