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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: spell · suit · pitch · craft · net · hand · pop · stand

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. pitch — completely
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. pop — music
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. spell — letters
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. net — in sport
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. spell — a short time
  11. net — for catching
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pop — soda
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. craft — a skill
  16. pop — to visit
  17. craft — boats
  18. net — after costs
  19. stand — to bear
  20. hand — help
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — clothes
  24. spell — magic

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