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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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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. wax — to grow
  4. cap — a lid
  5. hand — help
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. hand — in cards
  8. plane — a tool
  9. root — of a word
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. cap — a hat
  12. track — a path
  13. fine — all right
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. cap — of ice
  16. mate — to breed
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. mate — a partner
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a song
  22. root — of a plant
  23. mate — a friend
  24. fine — high quality

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