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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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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. root — of a plant
  3. charge — in control
  4. wax — to grow
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. root — the cause
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. fall — to drop
  10. net — for catching
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bat — the animal
  13. net — in sport
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. root — of a word
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — electricity
  18. date — the fruit
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. net — after costs
  24. date — on the calendar

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