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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bank — of a river
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. root — of a word
  5. content — the amount
  6. root — the cause
  7. lean — to bend
  8. rule — a law
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. content — happy
  11. bank — for money
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — thin
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. ball — a great time
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. ball — a dance
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. rule — government
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. bank — for money
  23. root — of a plant
  24. lash — an eyelash

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