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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: saw · race · spell · bear · ball · racket · wake · pitch

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. spell — a short time
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — completely
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. race — humankind
  7. bear — the animal
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. ball — a dance
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. wake — a trail
  13. race — the arms race
  14. ball — a great time
  15. saw — the tool
  16. spell — letters
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. race — a contest
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. bear — the animal
  21. saw — the tool
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. spell — magic
  24. bear — to put up with

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