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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. content — the amount
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rash — hasty
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. march — music
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. can — a tin
  10. root — the cause
  11. can — a tin
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bulb — for light
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. march — the month
  16. content — happy
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. march — the month
  19. root — of a word
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rash — a series
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. can — to be able to

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