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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. swing — in golf
  4. root — of a word
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. swing — music
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. stand — to bear
  9. root — the cause
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. lean — thin
  12. root — of a plant
  13. wax — to grow
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. content — the amount
  17. swing — to play on
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. lean — to bend
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. content — happy
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. fan — a supporter

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