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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. root — the cause
  3. spell — a short time
  4. swing — music
  5. cap — a lid
  6. spell — magic
  7. wax — to grow
  8. bank — for money
  9. root — of a plant
  10. date — the fruit
  11. swing — to play on
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bank — of a river
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. scale — size or range
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. cap — of ice
  21. spell — letters
  22. scale — in music
  23. swing — in golf
  24. root — of a word

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