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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: roll · spell · rash · firm · snap · suit · pitcher · bank

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. spell — letters
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. roll — a cake
  6. rash — hasty
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bank — of a river
  9. firm — steady
  10. spell — magic
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. rash — a series
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. firm — a company
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. roll — a list
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. snap — to click
  23. spell — a short time
  24. roll — on a roll

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