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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: root · dip · pitcher · spell · deal · wound · snap · jam

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. spell — letters
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. dip — to sink
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. snap — to click
  13. root — of a word
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. spell — a short time
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. root — of a plant
  20. root — the cause
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. wound — an injury
  23. deal — to handle
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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