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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. root — of a word
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — to bear
  7. shower — rain
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. chair — a leader
  11. mark — a grade
  12. shower — to wash
  13. root — the cause
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. root — of a plant
  16. scale — in music
  17. wax — to grow
  18. mark — a trace
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. scale — size or range
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. pitch — completely
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. stand — on your feet

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