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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. cap — a hat
  3. pit — in a race
  4. swing — to play on
  5. scale — size or range
  6. cap — a lid
  7. swing — in golf
  8. spell — letters
  9. pit — a hole
  10. root — of a plant
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. root — of a word
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. root — the cause
  16. cap — of ice
  17. scale — in music
  18. swing — music
  19. branch — a division
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. spell — a short time
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. safe — a strongbox

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