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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. kick — in football
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. content — the amount
  6. root — of a word
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. pop — music
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. root — the cause
  12. bulb — for light
  13. content — happy
  14. track — a song
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. root — of a plant
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. pop — soda
  19. bulb — for light
  20. track — to keep track
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. track — a path
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. pop — to visit

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