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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: root · squash · pop · spell · clip · bank · chip · lie

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. bank — for money
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. root — of a plant
  6. spell — magic
  7. pop — soda
  8. lie — to recline
  9. chip — for betting
  10. clip — to cut
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bank — for money
  13. pop — to visit
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. root — the cause
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. squash — to crush
  18. clip — a video
  19. squash — the sport
  20. clip — for paper
  21. bank — of a river
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. spell — letters
  24. root — of a word

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