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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: suit · rash · spell · spring · present · safe · mine · pitcher

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. spell — magic
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — hasty
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mine — for digging
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. present — the time now
  11. suit — to fit
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. suit — clothes
  14. spring — of water
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — there
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spring — the season
  20. spring — a coil
  21. rash — a series
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. spell — letters

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