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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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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 · pit · trunk · cell · safe · bowl · ruler · root

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. spell — letters
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cell — in biology
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. root — the cause
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — magic
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — of a word
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. pit — a hole
  21. cell — a phone
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. pit — in a race

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