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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: firm · toast · content · patient · root · cold · dip · pass

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. root — the cause
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pass — a permit
  6. content — the amount
  7. cold — an illness
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. content — happy
  10. firm — a company
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. root — of a word
  14. firm — decided
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. root — of a plant
  17. toast — bread
  18. cold — not warm
  19. firm — steady
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. dip — to sink
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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