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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: pitch · snap · roll · pass · suit · spell · face · bulb

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. face — to point toward
  5. spell — a short time
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. bulb — for light
  9. suit — in cards
  10. face — to confront
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pass — a permit
  13. snap — to click
  14. pitch — completely
  15. suit — clothes
  16. face — part of the head
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. spell — letters
  20. roll — a cake
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. spell — magic
  24. bulb — for light

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