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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: pitcher · deal · bound · suit · sharp · craft · rash · spell

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. suit — clothes
  5. spell — magic
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bound — certain
  8. rash — hasty
  9. spell — letters
  10. suit — to fit
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bound — tied together
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. rash — a series
  18. craft — boats
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bound — obliged
  21. sharp — clever
  22. deal — to handle
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. deal — an agreement

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