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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. content — happy
  3. root — of a word
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. root — the cause
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. root — of a plant
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fall — to drop
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. fall — the season
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. dip — to sink
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. fan — a supporter

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