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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: pitcher · leaves · lean · content · root · file · current · lash

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. file — a line of people
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. root — of a word
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. current — of water
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. file — a tool
  13. lean — to bend
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lean — thin
  17. content — happy
  18. current — electric
  19. file — a document
  20. current — happening now
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a plant
  24. pitcher — a jug

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