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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: fan · craft · rash · pitch · staff · pass · mate · hand

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. pitch — completely
  3. mate — a partner
  4. rash — hasty
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. craft — boats
  7. hand — in cards
  8. staff — employees
  9. craft — a skill
  10. hand — help
  11. staff — employees
  12. pass — a permit
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. staff — a stick
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. mate — to breed
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. rash — a series
  21. mate — a friend
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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