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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 124 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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468
Word bank
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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. root — the cause
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. root — of a word
  7. wax — to grow
  8. march — the month
  9. dip — to sink
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. march — the month
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. vault — a safe
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. chest — of your body
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. root — of a plant
  19. march — music
  20. chest — a box
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. chest — of your body
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. racket — a loud noise

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