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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.

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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. content — the amount
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. root — the cause
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. root — of a word
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. board — to get on
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. perch — the fish
  13. current — happening now
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. current — of water
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. root — of a plant
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. board — a committee
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. current — electric
  24. board — a flat piece

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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