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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. mark — a trace
  4. root — the cause
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. root — of a word
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. root — of a plant
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. can — a tin
  11. snap — to click
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. mark — a grade
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. hand — in cards
  17. can — a tin
  18. hand — help
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. lie — to recline
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. wax — to grow
  24. can — to be able to

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