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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. root — of a plant
  3. content — the amount
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. mine — for digging
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. field — a subject
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. pass — a permit
  13. field — for sport
  14. content — happy
  15. suit — clothes
  16. field — farmland
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — to fit
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. root — of a word
  24. root — the cause

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