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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. wax — to grow
  3. march — the month
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. root — the cause
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. root — of a plant
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. lie — to recline
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. date — the fruit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. march — music
  22. sharp — clever
  23. prune — to trim
  24. march — the month

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