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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 116 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: net · rush · drill · pitcher · suit · fan · bass · spell

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. net — in sport
  6. drill — the tool
  7. spell — letters
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — hurry
  11. suit — clothes
  12. spell — a short time
  13. suit — in cards
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. drill — army training
  16. bass — low music
  17. net — after costs
  18. net — for catching
  19. drill — a practice
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. spell — magic
  24. fan — a supporter

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