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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 116 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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. fine — high quality
  4. land — a country
  5. wax — to grow
  6. lean — to bend
  7. suit — to fit
  8. fine — all right
  9. tube — a container
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. tube — the underground
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. land — to come down
  15. suit — clothes
  16. lean — thin
  17. suit — in cards
  18. root — of a word
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. land — ground
  21. root — the cause
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. wax — for sculpting

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