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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: jam · present · content · toast · net · hide · root · arm

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. present — the time now
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. toast — bread
  6. root — of a word
  7. net — in sport
  8. root — the cause
  9. net — for catching
  10. content — the amount
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. root — of a plant
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. present — a gift
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — happy
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. net — after costs

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