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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. present — there
  3. root — of a word
  4. present — a gift
  5. ball — a dance
  6. wax — to grow
  7. present — the time now
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. content — the amount
  10. mate — to breed
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. root — of a plant
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. content — happy
  15. mate — a friend
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. sharp — clever
  20. ball — a great time
  21. mate — a partner
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. temple — a place of worship

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