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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. root — the cause
  4. band — a ring
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. dip — to sink
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. content — the amount
  10. root — of a plant
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. tube — the underground
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. tube — a container
  15. pit — in a race
  16. vault — a safe
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. pit — a hole
  21. band — a music group
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. content — happy
  24. root — of a word

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