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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: fall · ball · root · spell · chip · kick · craft · bank

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. fall — to drop
  5. root — of a word
  6. craft — boats
  7. chip — to eat
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. craft — a skill
  10. ball — a great time
  11. root — the cause
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. spell — magic
  15. root — of a plant
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — the season
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. chip — for betting
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. spell — a short time
  23. bank — for money
  24. ball — a dance

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