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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: leaves · spell · root · cue · calf · ruler · wax · chest

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. spell — letters
  4. root — of a plant
  5. wax — to grow
  6. spell — a short time
  7. cue — a hint
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. chest — of your body
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. chest — of your body
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. chest — a box
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. root — the cause
  22. spell — magic
  23. root — of a word
  24. ruler — for measuring

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