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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. spell — a short time
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. root — of a plant
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. root — the cause
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. dip — to sink
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bear — the animal
  15. tube — the underground
  16. bear — the animal
  17. tube — a container
  18. deal — to handle
  19. spell — letters
  20. root — of a word
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. rash — hasty
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. rash — a series

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