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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. court — for sport
  4. bass — low music
  5. court — of a king
  6. object — an aim
  7. bass — the fish
  8. court — of law
  9. object — to protest
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. tube — a container
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — shares
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wax — to grow
  17. root — of a plant
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. object — a thing
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. tube — the underground
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. root — of a word

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