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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. mark — a trace
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. root — of a word
  6. wax — to grow
  7. saw — the tool
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. land — to come down
  10. mark — a grade
  11. root — of a plant
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. wake — a trail
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. root — the cause
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. saw — the tool
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. land — ground
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. mark — to pay attention

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