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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 116 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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. cue — a hint
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. root — the cause
  8. track — a song
  9. content — happy
  10. track — a path
  11. rock — music
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. content — the amount
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. track — to keep track
  23. rock — a stone
  24. root — of a word

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