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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a plant
  5. degree — from a university
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. root — of a word
  9. land — a country
  10. mug — a cup
  11. degree — an amount
  12. land — to come down
  13. content — happy
  14. mug — a face
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mine — for digging
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. content — the amount
  19. mug — to rob
  20. land — ground
  21. degree — temperature
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. safe — a strongbox

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