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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 112 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. root — of a word
  3. fork — in a road
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. squash — to crush
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. root — the cause
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. root — of a plant
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. squash — the sport
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a hat
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. cap — a lid

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