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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. track — a path
  4. board — a committee
  5. root — of a plant
  6. roll — a cake
  7. wax — to grow
  8. charge — in control
  9. roll — a list
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. content — happy
  13. charge — a price
  14. board — to get on
  15. content — the amount
  16. root — the cause
  17. charge — electricity
  18. rock — a stone
  19. track — a song
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. rock — music
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. track — to keep track

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