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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 120 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: spell · file · root · snap · last · plane · rock · cabinet

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. spell — magic
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — the cause
  5. file — a document
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. file — a line of people
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. last — to go on
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rock — a stone
  13. spell — letters
  14. root — of a plant
  15. spell — a short time
  16. rock — music
  17. plane — a tool
  18. snap — to click
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. last — finally
  21. file — a tool
  22. last — final
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. plane — in geometry

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