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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. net — in sport
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. root — of a word
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. wake — a trail
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. root — the cause
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. root — of a plant
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — after costs
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. wax — to grow
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — to bear

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