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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 120 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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. root — of a plant
  4. tube — a container
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — steady
  7. kick — in football
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. can — a tin
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. root — of a word
  12. can — to be able to
  13. content — the amount
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. firm — decided
  17. root — the cause
  18. tube — the underground
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. content — happy
  21. can — a tin
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. sharp — clever

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