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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: root · lie · dip · suit · net · content · fall · temple

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. fall — to drop
  3. net — in sport
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. content — the amount
  7. lie — to recline
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. suit — clothes
  10. fall — the season
  11. content — happy
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. suit — in cards
  15. root — of a word
  16. net — after costs
  17. fall — to drop
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. root — the cause
  21. root — of a plant
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. net — for catching
  24. suit — to fit

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