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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wax — to grow
  7. root — the cause
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. root — of a word
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — a signal
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. cue — for pool
  18. rash — hasty
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rash — a series
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. root — of a plant

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