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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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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: root · spell · pitcher · stick · pit · rash · fine · straw

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. spell — letters
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. rash — a series
  5. spell — magic
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. pit — a hole
  8. root — of a word
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. root — of a plant
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. spell — a short time
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. fine — high quality
  20. root — the cause
  21. pit — in a race
  22. fine — all right
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. pitcher — a jug

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