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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 will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  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. march — the month
  2. file — a document
  3. root — of a plant
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bound — tied together
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bound — certain
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bound — obliged
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. track — a song
  13. file — a tool
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. root — the cause
  16. stand — to bear
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. track — a path
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. root — of a word
  22. kick — in football
  23. track — to keep track
  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