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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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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: suit · root · prune · snap · perch · content · bowl · dip

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. perch — the fish
  4. prune — to trim
  5. dip — to sink
  6. suit — to fit
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — of a plant
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. root — the cause
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. suit — clothes
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. content — the amount
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. content — happy

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