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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: straw · foot · content · rush · stick · ball · root · jam

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. content — happy
  5. root — the cause
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. ball — a dance
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. foot — a measure
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. content — the amount
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. ball — a great time
  19. rush — hurry
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. root — of a word
  24. jam — in traffic

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