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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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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: temple · spell · deal · stem · suit · snap · bulb · row

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. bulb — for light
  3. spell — letters
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. suit — clothes
  6. spell — a short time
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. suit — in cards
  9. stem — to come from
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. spell — magic
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. row — a line
  17. snap — to click
  18. deal — to handle
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. row — to paddle
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. suit — to fit

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