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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. wax — to grow
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — of a word
  5. wake — a trail
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. pass — a permit
  11. march — the month
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. march — music
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. lie — to recline
  16. root — the cause
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. march — the month

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