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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. wax — to grow
  3. firm — decided
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. firm — steady
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. firm — a company
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. root — the cause
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. rule — government
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — of a plant
  19. content — happy
  20. rule — a law
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. content — the amount

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