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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: present · can · root · arm · content · pound · pop · calf

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. root — the cause
  3. content — the amount
  4. root — of a word
  5. pop — music
  6. can — a tin
  7. content — happy
  8. present — there
  9. present — the time now
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. can — a tin
  12. pop — to visit
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pound — a weight
  17. can — to be able to
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. present — a gift
  21. root — of a plant
  22. pop — soda
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pound — to hit hard

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