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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. root — of a plant
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. mark — a grade
  5. root — of a word
  6. tube — the underground
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — an aim
  10. content — the amount
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. tube — a container
  14. ground — the earth
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. root — the cause
  17. content — happy
  18. ground — a position
  19. wax — to grow
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. object — a thing
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. ground — crushed

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