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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. wax — to grow
  3. root — of a word
  4. pitch — completely
  5. prune — to trim
  6. suit — to fit
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. root — of a plant
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bulb — for light
  14. prune — to trim
  15. fine — high quality
  16. mark — a trace
  17. root — the cause
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. mark — a grade
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — all right
  23. suit — in cards
  24. mark — to pay attention

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