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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. content — the amount
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. root — of a word
  5. content — happy
  6. craft — boats
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. staff — employees
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. root — of a plant
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mate — to breed
  13. staff — employees
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. root — the cause
  16. chip — to eat
  17. staff — a stick
  18. saw — the tool
  19. chip — for betting
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — a skill
  22. mate — a partner
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mate — a friend

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