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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 · ball · object · jam · date · wave · spell · trunk

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. spell — magic
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. root — the cause
  7. object — to protest
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. spell — a short time
  10. ball — a dance
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. spell — letters
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. date — the fruit
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — of a word
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. object — an aim
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. object — a thing

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