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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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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. root — of a plant
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. spell — letters
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. suit — to fit
  10. squash — to crush
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. root — the cause
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. date — the fruit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. squash — the sport
  20. pitch — completely
  21. root — of a word
  22. suit — clothes
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. spell — magic

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