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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: band · pitch · arm · craft · charge · deal · suit · hand

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. charge — electricity
  3. craft — a skill
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. charge — in control
  6. band — a ring
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. band — a music group
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitch — completely
  11. charge — a price
  12. craft — boats
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. suit — clothes
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. deal — to handle
  20. suit — to fit
  21. hand — in cards
  22. suit — in cards
  23. hand — help
  24. pitch — a sports field

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