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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. wax — to grow
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. root — of a plant
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. ground — a position
  10. root — the cause
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. snap — to click
  13. ground — crushed
  14. current — of water
  15. band — a music group
  16. scale — in music
  17. current — happening now
  18. scale — size or range
  19. current — electric
  20. band — a ring
  21. root — of a word
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. wax — for sculpting

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