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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
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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: spell · last · hide · net · pitch · club · bound · plane

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. bound — certain
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bound — tied together
  5. net — after costs
  6. last — to go on
  7. spell — magic
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. net — in sport
  10. club — a group
  11. spell — a short time
  12. last — finally
  13. club — for dancing
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. club — for golf
  18. net — for catching
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. plane — a tool
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bound — obliged
  23. last — final
  24. plane — an aircraft

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