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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 124 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rock — music
  3. root — of a word
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. race — humankind
  6. race — the arms race
  7. deal — to handle
  8. lie — to recline
  9. rock — a stone
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. root — of a plant
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. root — the cause
  15. wax — to grow
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. stand — to bear
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. race — a contest
  24. jam — a tight spot

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