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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: spell · rest · bass · cue · craft · pitcher · root · snap

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. craft — boats
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bass — low music
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cue — for pool
  8. spell — a short time
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. rest — what's left
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. root — of a plant
  13. snap — to click
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. spell — magic
  16. root — the cause
  17. spell — letters
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. cue — a hint
  20. craft — a skill
  21. root — of a word
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bass — the fish
  24. cue — a signal

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