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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. wax — to grow
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. root — of a word
  5. track — a path
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. current — of water
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. root — of a plant
  10. current — happening now
  11. track — to keep track
  12. root — the cause
  13. pound — a weight
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — in cards
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. current — electric
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. track — a song
  22. suit — to fit
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. racket — for tennis

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