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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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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 · suit · present · can · spell · bat · clip · pop

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. clip — to cut
  3. root — of a plant
  4. pop — soda
  5. present — the time now
  6. spell — letters
  7. bat — the animal
  8. pop — music
  9. pop — to visit
  10. clip — a video
  11. suit — clothes
  12. clip — for paper
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. present — there
  18. suit — to fit
  19. spell — magic
  20. present — a gift
  21. can — a tin
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — the cause
  24. suit — in cards

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