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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 120 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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. squash — the sport
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wax — to grow
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bank — for money
  7. suit — in cards
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. root — of a word
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. squash — to crush
  13. mark — a trace
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. suit — to fit
  16. clip — a video
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. clip — for paper
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. clip — to cut
  21. root — the cause
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mark — a grade
  24. suit — clothes

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