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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: ball · spell · calf · key · pitch · suit · bulb · wound

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bulb — for light
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. key — the most important part
  11. wound — an injury
  12. spell — a short time
  13. suit — clothes
  14. spell — letters
  15. ball — a great time
  16. suit — to fit
  17. ball — a dance
  18. key — in music
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pitch — completely
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. spell — magic
  23. wound — an injury
  24. calf — of the leg

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