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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — the cause
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. can — to be able to
  6. board — a committee
  7. lean — to bend
  8. can — a tin
  9. mark — a trace
  10. squash — to crush
  11. can — a tin
  12. vault — a safe
  13. root — of a word
  14. squash — the sport
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. mark — a grade
  17. board — to get on
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. lean — thin

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