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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. last — to go on
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. can — a tin
  5. root — the cause
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. last — final
  8. suit — to fit
  9. content — the amount
  10. can — a tin
  11. suit — clothes
  12. root — of a plant
  13. suit — in cards
  14. root — of a word
  15. last — finally
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. can — to be able to

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