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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
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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: mate · spring · ball · root · calf · bat · safe · spell

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mate — a partner
  3. spring — a coil
  4. spell — magic
  5. spring — the season
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. root — the cause
  8. spring — of water
  9. ball — a great time
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a dance
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. root — of a word
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. root — of a plant
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. spell — letters
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. mate — a friend
  21. bat — the animal
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mate — to breed
  24. calf — a young animal

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