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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: rash · hide · bulb · hand · pitch · foot · spell · bowl

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. spell — a short time
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. hand — in cards
  10. pitch — completely
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. foot — a measure
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — hasty
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. spell — magic
  17. rash — a series
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bulb — for light
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. hand — help
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. spell — letters

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