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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.

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: spell · rock · wave · pitch · prune · rash · lie · pop

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. pitch — completely
  8. rock — a stone
  9. pop — music
  10. lie — to recline
  11. pop — to visit
  12. rock — music
  13. rash — hasty
  14. pop — soda
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. spell — a short time
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. spell — magic
  20. prune — to trim
  21. rash — a series
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. prune — to trim

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