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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 116 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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. root — of a word
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. firm — decided
  6. root — of a plant
  7. row — a line
  8. row — to paddle
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. firm — steady
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. snap — to click
  15. rush — hurry
  16. root — the cause
  17. vault — a safe
  18. content — happy
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. firm — a company
  24. rush — a thrill

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