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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
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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: lie · root · track · pass · date · wax · pop · mine

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. mine — for digging
  4. lie — to recline
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — the fruit
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. root — of a word
  9. pop — soda
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a plant
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. track — a song
  16. track — a path
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. track — to keep track
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pop — music
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. pass — a permit
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. wax — to grow

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