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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lean · current · degree · root · drill · bat · content · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  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. lie — to recline
  2. root — of a plant
  3. drill — the tool
  4. current — happening now
  5. drill — a practice
  6. root — the cause
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. content — the amount
  9. lean — thin
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. root — of a word
  12. drill — army training
  13. lean — to bend
  14. current — of water
  15. degree — an amount
  16. current — electric
  17. content — happy
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bat — the animal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. degree — temperature
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. degree — from a university
  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