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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. root — the cause
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. root — of a plant
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. march — the month
  9. squash — the sport
  10. ground — crushed
  11. march — the month
  12. content — happy
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. root — of a word
  19. ground — the earth
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. march — music
  22. ground — a position
  23. squash — to crush
  24. content — the amount

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