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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 116 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bound — tied together
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — to rob
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — of ice
  7. wax — to grow
  8. mate — to breed
  9. root — of a plant
  10. ground — a position
  11. bound — certain
  12. root — the cause
  13. cap — a hat
  14. mate — a friend
  15. ground — crushed
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. mate — a partner
  18. shower — to wash
  19. bound — obliged
  20. shower — rain
  21. ground — the earth
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. mug — a face

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