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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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468
Word bank
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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  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 — to bend
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. mate — to breed
  4. root — the cause
  5. board — to get on
  6. rest — what's left
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. lean — thin
  10. content — the amount
  11. rest — a break
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. mate — a friend
  14. root — of a plant
  15. present — the time now
  16. rest — what's left
  17. board — a committee
  18. mate — a partner
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. content — happy
  21. root — of a word
  22. present — there
  23. present — a gift
  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