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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 120 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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Word bank
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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: content · straw · scale · trunk · chip · suit · ground · root

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. suit — to fit
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. scale — in music
  5. ground — the earth
  6. suit — in cards
  7. root — of a plant
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. suit — clothes
  11. content — happy
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. scale — size or range
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. root — the cause
  17. ground — crushed
  18. root — of a word
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — to eat
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. content — the amount
  24. ground — a position

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