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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: march · stand · suit · court · root · chest · tube · wax

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. root — of a plant
  4. march — the month
  5. court — of a king
  6. suit — clothes
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — to grow
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. tube — the underground
  11. chest — of your body
  12. suit — in cards
  13. march — the month
  14. tube — a container
  15. court — for sport
  16. root — the cause
  17. stand — to bear
  18. court — of law
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. march — music
  21. chest — a box
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. root — of a word
  24. suit — to fit

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