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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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468
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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. root — of a plant
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. game — wild animals
  5. root — of a word
  6. pit — a hole
  7. present — there
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — the time now
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. content — the amount
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. root — the cause
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. stem — to come from
  22. pit — in a race
  23. content — happy
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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