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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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · kick · object · pitcher · root · lie · mark · trunk

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. kick — in football
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a grade
  5. object — a thing
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. root — of a word
  9. object — an aim
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. root — the cause
  12. object — to protest
  13. mark — a trace
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. root — of a plant
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. lie — to recline
  19. spell — a short time
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. spell — magic
  23. trunk — of a tree
  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