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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fan · net · lean · mug · racket · chest · root · wax

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. root — the cause
  5. chest — of your body
  6. lean — thin
  7. net — for catching
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. lean — to bend
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a face
  12. chest — of your body
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. chest — a box
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. root — of a word
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. net — after costs
  20. wax — to grow
  21. net — in sport
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. mug — a cup
  24. fan — a supporter

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