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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. root — the cause
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. staff — a stick
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. track — a path
  9. sharp — clever
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. staff — employees
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. content — the amount
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. content — happy
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. can — a tin
  20. staff — employees
  21. track — a song
  22. root — of a plant
  23. track — to keep track
  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