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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: bowl · can · pop · chest · wax · net · root · stand

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. root — the cause
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. chest — a box
  5. can — a tin
  6. root — of a word
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pop — soda
  9. net — after costs
  10. chest — of your body
  11. net — for catching
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. wax — to grow
  15. chest — of your body
  16. can — a tin
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. pop — music
  19. net — in sport
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. root — of a plant
  24. can — to be able to

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