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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: pitcher · ball · lash · suit · kick · cabinet · spell · wind

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. spell — a short time
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. wind — moving air
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wind — moving air
  14. ball — a great time
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. spell — letters
  18. kick — in football
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. spell — magic
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. ball — a dance

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