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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. ground — the earth
  3. mug — a face
  4. cue — for pool
  5. wax — to grow
  6. root — the cause
  7. ground — crushed
  8. pop — music
  9. pop — to visit
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. ground — a position
  13. cue — a hint
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. root — of a plant
  17. mug — to rob
  18. root — of a word
  19. mug — a cup
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. cue — a signal
  22. branch — a division
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — the fish

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