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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — a hint
  5. deal — to handle
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. content — happy
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. wound — an injury
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. root — the cause
  16. wound — an injury
  17. content — the amount
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. lean — to bend
  20. toast — bread
  21. root — of a word
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. lean — to rest against

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