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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.

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
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: suit · spell · toast · cabinet · root · arm · wind · pitcher

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. wind — moving air
  3. toast — bread
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. spell — magic
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. suit — to fit
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. root — of a plant
  12. spell — letters
  13. wind — moving air
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. root — of a word
  16. spell — a short time
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. suit — clothes
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. root — the cause
  22. suit — in cards
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. pitcher — a jug

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