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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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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. root — of a plant
  4. object — a thing
  5. chip — for betting
  6. suit — clothes
  7. object — to protest
  8. suit — to fit
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. capital — money
  12. root — the cause
  13. chip — to eat
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wax — to grow
  16. capital — a city
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. suit — in cards
  19. object — an aim
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. rash — a series
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. root — of a word

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