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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. root — the cause
  3. root — of a plant
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — to rip
  6. wake — a trail
  7. season — in sport
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. tear — from crying
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. root — of a word
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. wax — to grow
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. season — of the year
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bowl — a dish

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