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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rock — music
  3. root — the cause
  4. track — a song
  5. firm — a company
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. root — of a word
  8. firm — steady
  9. scale — size or range
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. track — to keep track
  13. root — of a plant
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. wax — to grow
  16. track — a path
  17. deal — to handle
  18. scale — in music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. firm — decided
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. rush — hurry

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