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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. root — the cause
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. root — of a plant
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. snap — to click
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. pass — a permit
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. root — of a word
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. perch — the fish
  17. content — happy
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rush — hurry
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. content — the amount
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. perch — for a bird

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