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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: root · cap · bat · wax · mark · stand · rush · dip

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. mark — a trace
  5. root — the cause
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. cap — a lid
  9. dip — to sink
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — to bear
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. root — of a plant
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. cap — of ice
  16. wax — to grow
  17. root — of a word
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. cap — a hat
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. rush — hurry

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