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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: snap · spell · object · bowl · foot · firm · shower · pitch

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. spell — a short time
  3. object — to protest
  4. snap — to click
  5. firm — a company
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. spell — letters
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. shower — to wash
  10. shower — rain
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. firm — steady
  13. pitch — completely
  14. spell — magic
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. firm — decided
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. foot — a measure
  23. object — an aim
  24. object — a thing

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