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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bass — the fish
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. root — the cause
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. file — a tool
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bear — the animal
  15. root — of a word
  16. content — the amount
  17. bass — low music
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. file — a line of people
  21. bear — the animal
  22. content — happy
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — a dish

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