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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: spell · band · root · swing · cabinet · ball · bear · mate

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. band — a ring
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. mate — to breed
  6. swing — in golf
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. swing — to play on
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. band — a music group
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bear — the animal
  15. ball — a dance
  16. spell — letters
  17. bear — the animal
  18. root — of a plant
  19. root — of a word
  20. swing — music
  21. root — the cause
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. mate — a partner

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