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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. root — of a word
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. pitch — completely
  8. field — farmland
  9. root — the cause
  10. field — for sport
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. field — a subject
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. root — of a plant
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — to grow
  19. deal — to handle
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  24. cabinet — ministers

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