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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 120 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 · rush · snap · pound · kick · bowl · content · pitcher

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. content — happy
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. kick — in football
  7. content — the amount
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. pound — a weight
  13. root — the cause
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. root — of a word

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