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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 120 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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. content — happy
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. content — the amount
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. field — for sport
  10. season — in sport
  11. suit — to fit
  12. root — of a word
  13. season — of the year
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. field — a subject
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — the season
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. fall — to drop
  21. root — of a plant
  22. field — farmland
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bowl — a dish

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