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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. wax — to grow
  3. ground — a position
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. drill — a practice
  6. ground — crushed
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. drill — army training
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. root — of a word
  11. cap — of ice
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ground — the earth
  17. cap — a hat
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. root — of a plant
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. cap — a lid
  24. root — the cause

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