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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. field — farmland
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. wax — to grow
  5. field — a subject
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a word
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. root — of a plant
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. field — for sport
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ruler — for measuring

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