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

Word bank: cue · ball · snap · deal · root · jam

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. snap — to click
  3. ball — a great time
  4. root — of a plant
  5. cue — a signal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — the cause
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cue — a hint
  16. ball — a dance
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. jam — to spread on bread

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