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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. root — the cause
  3. content — the amount
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. rock — a stone
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — there
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. dip — to sink
  10. face — part of the head
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. rock — music
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. root — of a plant
  15. present — a gift
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. content — happy
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. root — of a word
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — to confront
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. scale — size or range

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