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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. staff — employees
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. object — an aim
  7. object — a thing
  8. prune — to trim
  9. roll — a list
  10. prune — to trim
  11. lean — thin
  12. pound — a weight
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — the cause
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. root — of a word
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. lean — to bend
  23. roll — a cake
  24. object — to protest

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