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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
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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: firm · content · wave · root · press · straw · track · roll

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. firm — steady
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. firm — a company
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. firm — decided
  7. track — to keep track
  8. press — to push
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. content — the amount
  11. root — of a plant
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. track — a path
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. root — of a word
  16. root — the cause
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — a publisher
  22. content — happy
  23. roll — a cake
  24. track — a song

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