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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. root — of a plant
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. court — for sport
  5. court — of a king
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. court — of law
  8. charge — a price
  9. root — the cause
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — to sink
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. spell — letters
  14. rush — hurry
  15. spell — a short time
  16. charge — electricity
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wind — moving air
  21. charge — in control
  22. lie — to recline
  23. wind — moving air
  24. root — of a word

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