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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cell — a phone
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. wax — to grow
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cell — in biology
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. root — of a plant
  21. pitch — completely
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. root — of a word

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