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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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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: current · squash · pitch · hand · safe · bore · root · spell

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. root — of a word
  3. spell — magic
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. pitch — completely
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. bore — to tire
  9. current — electric
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. hand — help
  13. bore — to drill
  14. current — happening now
  15. spell — a short time
  16. root — the cause
  17. root — of a plant
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. squash — the sport
  20. spell — letters
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. current — of water
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. squash — to crush

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