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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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 need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. spell — letters
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bass — the fish
  5. spell — magic
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mine — for digging
  10. root — the cause
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. ball — a dance
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. spell — a short time
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. root — of a word
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bass — low music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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