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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 120 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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. root — the cause
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. shower — to wash
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. tear — from crying
  10. foot — a measure
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. rash — a series
  14. root — of a plant
  15. charge — electricity
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. charge — in control
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. charge — a price
  20. shower — rain
  21. root — of a word
  22. tear — from crying
  23. rash — hasty
  24. tear — to rip

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