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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  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. dip — to sink
  2. content — the amount
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. root — the cause
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. root — of a word
  7. chip — for betting
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. season — in sport
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. mate — to breed
  15. season — of the year
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. root — of a plant
  19. content — happy
  20. chip — to eat
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. mate — a partner
  23. stem — to come from
  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