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

Word bank: stick · mark · wax · mate · mouse · root · deal · file

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. file — a tool
  4. root — of a plant
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. file — a document
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mate — to breed
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. mark — a grade
  13. file — a line of people
  14. deal — to handle
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. root — the cause
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. mark — a trace
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. root — of a word
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. mouse — the animal

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