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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
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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: wound · wax · root · ruler · spell · nail · jam · stand

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. spell — a short time
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. root — of a word
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. wound — an injury
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. root — of a plant
  12. spell — magic
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. spell — letters
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. stand — to bear
  18. root — the cause
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wound — an injury
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. stand — for spectators

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