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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — the cause
  5. content — happy
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. net — in sport
  8. degree — an amount
  9. net — for catching
  10. degree — temperature
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. ball — a great time
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. root — of a plant
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. net — after costs
  17. degree — from a university
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. pass — a permit
  20. ball — a dance
  21. fork — in a road
  22. content — the amount
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. pass — to succeed

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