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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. root — the cause
  5. content — happy
  6. clip — for paper
  7. pass — a permit
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. current — of water
  10. root — of a plant
  11. sharp — clever
  12. clip — to cut
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. clip — a video
  15. track — a path
  16. track — a song
  17. track — to keep track
  18. current — electric
  19. root — of a word
  20. content — the amount
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. current — happening now
  24. lie — an untruth

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