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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: pitcher · wax · tear · root · branch · mate · roll · key

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. root — the cause
  3. key — the most important part
  4. root — of a word
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. mate — to breed
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. key — in music
  9. key — for a lock
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. branch — a division
  12. mate — a partner
  13. root — of a plant
  14. roll — a cake
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. tear — from crying
  17. roll — a list
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. tear — from crying
  20. wax — to grow
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. mate — a friend
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. tear — to rip

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