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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
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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: straw · press · content · ball · fork · object · root · ground

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. ground — crushed
  3. ground — a position
  4. object — a thing
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. ball — a dance
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. object — an aim
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. content — happy
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. content — the amount
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a plant
  17. press — to push
  18. press — newspapers
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. root — of a word
  21. object — to protest
  22. ground — the earth
  23. ball — a great time
  24. press — a publisher

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