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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: content · toast · track · suit · stem · bulb · dip · chest

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. chest — a box
  3. toast — bread
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bulb — for light
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. content — happy
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. chest — of your body
  13. stem — to come from
  14. track — a song
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. suit — clothes
  17. content — the amount
  18. track — a path
  19. suit — in cards
  20. chest — of your body
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. dip — to sink
  24. stem — a stem cell

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