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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 120 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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. root — the cause
  3. mark — a grade
  4. ball — a dance
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. ball — a great time
  8. band — a ring
  9. band — a music group
  10. mate — to breed
  11. wax — to grow
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. root — of a word
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. root — of a plant
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. pass — a permit
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mark — a trace

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