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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. content — the amount
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. pit — in a race
  5. fine — high quality
  6. root — the cause
  7. scale — in music
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. scale — size or range
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — a hole
  14. fine — all right
  15. content — happy
  16. root — of a word
  17. bat — the animal
  18. content — videos and posts

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