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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wave · root · firm · rush · bass · wax · capital · date

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — the fruit
  4. root — of a word
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. root — the cause
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bass — low music
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. capital — a city
  12. bass — the fish
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. firm — decided
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. capital — money
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — to grow
  20. rush — hurry
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — a company
  24. capital — a big letter

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