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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. wound — an injury
  3. pit — in a race
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. pit — a hole
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. content — the amount
  10. wound — an injury
  11. root — the cause
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. tube — a container
  14. root — of a plant
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. squash — the sport
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. staff — employees
  21. content — happy
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. squash — to crush
  24. tube — the underground

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