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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. suit — to fit
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. root — the cause
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. suit — clothes
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bank — for money
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. root — of a plant
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bank — of a river
  17. root — of a word
  18. pass — a permit
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bank — for money
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. pass — to spend time

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