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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. key — for a lock
  3. key — in music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. root — of a word
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a plant
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. dip — to sink
  16. stand — to bear
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. content — the amount
  19. tube — a container
  20. pitch — completely
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. content — happy
  24. stand — on your feet

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