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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
468
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: root · bank · stem · wax · mouse · firm · temple · spell

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. spell — a short time
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stem — to come from
  6. firm — steady
  7. bank — for money
  8. spell — magic
  9. root — the cause
  10. firm — a company
  11. bank — for money
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. root — of a plant
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wax — to grow
  18. spell — letters
  19. root — of a word
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. firm — decided
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. bank — of a river

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