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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 120 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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. field — a subject
  3. tear — to rip
  4. content — happy
  5. root — of a word
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. content — the amount
  9. root — the cause
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. field — for sport
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. field — farmland
  22. tear — from crying
  23. dip — to sink
  24. safe — out of danger

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