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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: cell · can · pitch · mate · deal · hand · rash · snap

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mate — to breed
  3. cell — a phone
  4. deal — to handle
  5. hand — in cards
  6. pitch — completely
  7. hand — help
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. cell — in biology
  10. snap — to click
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. mate — a friend
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — a series
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. can — a tin
  18. mate — a partner
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. can — to be able to
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. pitch — a sports field

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