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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
468
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: mark · bass · cabinet · spell · kick · root · snap · mug

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. spell — letters
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. spell — magic
  8. root — of a word
  9. bass — low music
  10. root — the cause
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a grade
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. spell — a short time
  16. bass — the fish
  17. mug — a face
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. snap — to click
  20. mug — to rob
  21. kick — in football
  22. mark — a trace
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. kick — with a leg

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