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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
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: hand · root · spell · snap · jam · mark · mouse · lie

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. snap — to click
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. hand — help
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. spell — a short time
  11. root — the cause
  12. lie — to recline
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. spell — magic
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — a trace
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — of a word
  19. spell — letters
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. hand — in cards
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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