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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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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: hide · jam · bowl · fall · root · mug · track · content

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. content — happy
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mug — a face
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. track — to keep track
  8. root — of a word
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. content — the amount
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. track — a song
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. root — of a plant
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mug — a cup
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fall — to drop
  21. root — the cause
  22. track — a path
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. fall — the season

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