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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 · scale · bay · hide · race · lie · root · mine

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. race — the arms race
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. root — of a word
  9. lie — to recline
  10. race — a contest
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. race — humankind
  13. root — of a plant
  14. scale — size or range
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mine — for digging
  21. scale — in music
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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