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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: leaves · nail · suit · charge · wax · game · root · squash

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. root — of a word
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wax — to grow
  5. charge — in control
  6. root — the cause
  7. suit — in cards
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. charge — electricity
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. game — a match
  14. charge — a price
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. suit — clothes
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. game — wild animals
  22. suit — to fit
  23. squash — to crush
  24. root — of a plant

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