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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 · straw · toast · sharp · mouse · spell · content · pit

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  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. spell — magic
  2. spell — letters
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — the cause
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pit — a hole
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. toast — bread
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. root — of a plant
  17. content — happy
  18. sharp — clever
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. content — the amount
  21. spell — a short time
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. mouse — for a computer
  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