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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. root — the cause
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. root — of a word
  6. hand — help
  7. rule — a law
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. hand — in cards
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. root — of a plant
  14. content — happy
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. foot — a measure
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. stem — to come from
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. content — the amount
  24. rule — government

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