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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. root — the cause
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. race — the arms race
  7. chest — of your body
  8. race — humankind
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. stock — shares
  11. chest — of your body
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. stock — goods
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. root — of a word
  18. race — a contest
  19. can — a tin
  20. root — of a plant
  21. scale — in music
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. wax — to grow
  24. chest — a box

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