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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 120 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: net · tube · root · wax · saw · march · pass · temple

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. pass — a permit
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. wax — to grow
  5. saw — the tool
  6. march — music
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. march — the month
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. tube — a container
  12. march — the month
  13. root — of a plant
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. root — the cause
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. net — for catching
  19. root — of a word
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. tube — the underground
  23. saw — the tool
  24. net — after costs

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