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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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · bark · mug · pitch · bowl · wave · clip · suit

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. suit — to fit
  5. clip — a video
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. clip — for paper
  8. spell — a short time
  9. suit — clothes
  10. spell — magic
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bark — to shout
  14. mug — to rob
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. clip — to cut
  17. mug — a cup
  18. pitch — completely
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. spell — letters
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. mug — a face

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