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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. foot — a measure
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. content — the amount
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. field — farmland
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. pass — a permit
  11. field — a subject
  12. field — for sport
  13. root — of a plant
  14. band — a music group
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. root — of a word
  19. content — happy
  20. root — the cause
  21. present — a gift
  22. band — a ring
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. present — there

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