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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.

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: pound · spell · staff · bulb · root · fall · stick · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. fall — the season
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ball — a dance
  8. spell — a short time
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. spell — letters
  11. staff — employees
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. root — of a word
  14. pound — a weight
  15. staff — employees
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — the cause
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fall — to drop
  21. ball — a great time
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. spell — magic

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