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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. root — the cause
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wax — to grow
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. root — of a word
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. rush — hurry
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stand — to bear
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. root — of a plant
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to sink

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