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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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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 · craft · pitcher · deal · file · pass · pitch · band

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. craft — a skill
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cell — a phone
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. band — a ring
  11. file — a tool
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. file — a line of people
  15. band — a music group
  16. deal — to handle
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pass — a permit
  20. cell — in biology
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. file — a document
  23. pitch — completely
  24. craft — boats

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