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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. row — to paddle
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — the cause
  5. last — to go on
  6. last — finally
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. last — final
  9. content — the amount
  10. rock — music
  11. row — a line
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. roll — a list
  14. fine — high quality
  15. toast — bread
  16. rock — a stone
  17. roll — a cake
  18. fine — all right
  19. content — happy
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. root — of a plant

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