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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 · spell · cabinet · band · jam · bear · bowl · race

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. race — the arms race
  4. spell — a short time
  5. band — a music group
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. spell — letters
  13. band — a ring
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — a contest
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bowl — to roll

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