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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 · root · dip · hide · game · deal · rush · cell

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rush — hurry
  4. game — wild animals
  5. root — of a word
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. spell — a short time
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. spell — letters
  10. cell — a phone
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. spell — magic
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. dip — to sink
  16. root — the cause
  17. game — a match
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. cell — in biology
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — a thrill

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