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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 124 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: root · bay · pit · wax · firm · kid · bass · hand

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. root — the cause
  4. kid — child
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. hand — in cards
  7. firm — decided
  8. bass — low music
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. hand — help
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bass — the fish
  13. wax — to grow
  14. kid — to tease
  15. firm — a company
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. root — of a word
  20. firm — steady
  21. pit — a hole
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bass — the instrument

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