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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. root — of a plant
  4. suit — in cards
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. spring — the season
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. content — the amount
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. suit — clothes
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cue — a signal
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. root — the cause
  19. branch — a division
  20. spring — a coil
  21. spring — of water
  22. root — of a word
  23. suit — to fit
  24. arm — part of the body

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