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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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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: mark · cell · stand · snap · root · bay · jam · spell

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. mark — a grade
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. snap — to click
  8. spell — a short time
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. cell — in biology
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. root — of a word
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — the cause
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. cell — a phone
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. stand — to bear
  22. mark — a trace
  23. spell — letters
  24. spell — magic

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