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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — the cause
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. ball — a dance
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. content — the amount
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. content — happy
  12. squash — to crush
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. net — for catching
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bore — to drill
  17. net — after costs
  18. lean — to bend
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. foot — a measure
  21. net — in sport
  22. root — of a plant
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bore — to 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