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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: cabinet · content · sharp · fall · pound · stem · bay · root

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. sharp — clever
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — the cause
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. fall — the season
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. fall — to drop
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stem — to come from
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. content — happy
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. root — of a plant
  24. content — videos and posts

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