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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. root — of a plant
  4. track — a path
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. track — a song
  8. deal — to handle
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. track — to keep track
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. root — the cause
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. pound — a weight
  19. suit — clothes
  20. root — of a word
  21. wax — to grow
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wave — of the sea

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