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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: pound · pitch · rock · board · craft · patient · suit · spell

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. spell — a short time
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. spell — magic
  5. suit — in cards
  6. craft — a skill
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — to fit
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. spell — letters
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. pitch — completely
  19. rock — a stone
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — a weight
  22. craft — boats
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. board — a committee

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