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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: wax · fine · ground · mark · patient · root · bass · bulb

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bass — the fish
  5. ground — a position
  6. root — the cause
  7. wax — to grow
  8. root — of a plant
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. ground — the earth
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. ground — crushed
  16. fine — all right
  17. mark — a trace
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. root — of a word
  24. bass — low music

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