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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 120 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: foot · craft · suit · cue · spell · wound · pitch · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cue — for pool
  4. wound — an injury
  5. suit — to fit
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. pitch — completely
  8. suit — in cards
  9. spell — a short time
  10. craft — a skill
  11. spell — magic
  12. cue — a hint
  13. craft — boats
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. spell — letters
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. cue — a signal
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. foot — a measure
  24. wound — an injury

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