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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bound — obliged
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. root — the cause
  7. fall — the season
  8. root — of a word
  9. bound — tied together
  10. fine — all right
  11. bound — certain
  12. fork — in a road
  13. content — happy
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. content — the amount
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. root — of a plant
  23. fall — to drop
  24. sharp — clever

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