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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. root — of a word
  4. squash — the sport
  5. can — a tin
  6. root — of a plant
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. content — the amount
  10. tube — a container
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. content — happy
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. squash — to crush
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. tube — the underground
  22. root — the cause
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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