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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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a word
  6. fall — to drop
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — clever
  9. root — of a plant
  10. stand — to bear
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mate — to breed
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. mate — a partner
  16. pass — a permit
  17. fall — to drop
  18. wax — to grow
  19. fall — the season
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mate — a friend
  24. stand — on your feet

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