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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  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. content — videos and posts
  2. track — a path
  3. root — of a plant
  4. pop — soda
  5. stand — to bear
  6. content — the amount
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. content — happy
  11. track — a song
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. pop — music
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — to eat
  19. root — the cause
  20. track — to keep track
  21. root — of a word
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. pop — to visit
  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