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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. root — of a word
  4. wax — to grow
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. root — the cause
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. root — of a plant
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. press — newspapers
  11. rock — music
  12. press — to push
  13. rock — a stone
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. kick — in football
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. press — a publisher
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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