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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. root — of a word
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. root — of a plant
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. content — happy
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. squash — to crush
  13. rush — hurry
  14. branch — a division
  15. squash — the sport
  16. root — the cause
  17. rule — government
  18. rule — a law
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. rush — to hurry

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