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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.

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: root · mouse · nail · content · racket · land · lean · perch

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a word
  3. land — to come down
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. root — of a plant
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. lean — to bend
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. content — happy
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. land — a country
  16. land — ground
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. content — the amount
  21. perch — the fish
  22. lean — thin
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mouse — for a computer

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