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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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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: mouse · content · bat · ruler · lash · root · wound · jam

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. root — of a word
  4. wound — an injury
  5. root — the cause
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. content — the amount
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. bat — the animal
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. root — of a plant
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. content — happy
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. lash — an eyelash

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