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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 · chair · root · cabinet · fan · track · pop · pass

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. root — of a word
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. wax — to grow
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. pass — a permit
  10. chair — a leader
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pop — soda
  15. root — of a plant
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. track — a song
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pop — music
  21. root — the cause
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. track — to keep track
  24. pop — to visit

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