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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 116 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: deal · dip · bay · root · mark · spell · content · rest

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. content — happy
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. mark — a trace
  8. rest — what's left
  9. root — of a word
  10. spell — a short time
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. root — the cause
  13. rest — what's left
  14. dip — to sink
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — magic
  19. rest — a break
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. deal — to handle
  23. content — the amount
  24. mark — to pay attention

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