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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. lie — to recline
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. wound — an injury
  7. land — a country
  8. root — of a word
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. root — the cause
  11. content — happy
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. chip — to eat
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. land — to come down
  18. content — the amount
  19. wax — to grow
  20. chip — for betting
  21. root — of a plant
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. land — ground
  24. chip — in a computer

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