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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lash · perch · content · band · pit · toast · root · rest

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. toast — bread
  5. root — of a word
  6. perch — the fish
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. content — happy
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. root — of a plant
  12. band — a music group
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. content — the amount
  15. pit — in a race
  16. rest — a break
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. root — the cause
  22. pit — a hole
  23. band — a ring
  24. rest — what's left

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