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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. file — a document
  3. root — the cause
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. root — of a plant
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. present — a gift
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. perch — the fish
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pass — a permit
  18. present — there
  19. root — of a word
  20. present — the time now
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. file — a tool
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. file — a line of people

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