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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 · band · content · club · root · lean · suit · kid

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. club — for golf
  4. band — a music group
  5. firm — decided
  6. club — for dancing
  7. suit — to fit
  8. root — of a plant
  9. lean — to bend
  10. content — happy
  11. lean — thin
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. kid — child
  14. firm — a company
  15. kid — to tease
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. suit — clothes
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a word
  20. club — a group
  21. suit — in cards
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. firm — steady
  24. band — a ring

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