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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: mug · fan · lie · nail · kid · root · spell · fine

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. lie — to recline
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a plant
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. spell — magic
  7. mug — a face
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. spell — letters
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. mug — a cup
  12. kid — child
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. spell — a short time
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. mug — to rob
  20. kid — to tease
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. fine — high quality
  23. root — of a word
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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