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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. content — happy
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a word
  5. content — the amount
  6. present — a gift
  7. staff — a stick
  8. present — there
  9. swing — music
  10. present — the time now
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. swing — in golf
  13. staff — employees
  14. chest — of your body
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. object — an aim
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. root — of a plant
  19. chest — a box
  20. chest — of your body
  21. object — a thing
  22. swing — to play on
  23. object — to protest
  24. staff — employees

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