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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 112 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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. content — the amount
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. stand — to bear
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. root — the cause
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. fine — high quality
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. rash — a series
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. content — happy
  22. rash — hasty
  23. root — of a plant
  24. root — of a word

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