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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. mug — a face
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. can — a tin
  5. deal — to handle
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bear — the animal
  8. tube — the underground
  9. mug — to rob
  10. row — to paddle
  11. can — a tin
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. can — to be able to
  14. root — the cause
  15. row — a line
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. content — the amount
  18. bear — the animal
  19. content — happy
  20. mug — a cup
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. root — of a word
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — in a tire

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