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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: pitch · spring · safe · bear · march · spell · can · bat

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bat — the animal
  3. spell — letters
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bear — the animal
  8. spring — the season
  9. march — the month
  10. can — to be able to
  11. march — music
  12. can — a tin
  13. spell — magic
  14. spring — of water
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. spell — a short time
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. spring — a coil
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. can — a tin
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. bear — the animal

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