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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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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: root · firm · wax · scale · tear · suit · stand · wake

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. tear — from crying
  4. root — of a word
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. root — the cause
  7. firm — steady
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. firm — decided
  10. suit — in cards
  11. wax — to grow
  12. suit — to fit
  13. root — of a plant
  14. suit — clothes
  15. stand — to bear
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. scale — size or range
  18. tear — to rip
  19. firm — a company
  20. wake — a trail
  21. tear — from crying
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. scale — in music

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