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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: wound · scale · suit · chair · spell · wax · stick · root

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. root — of a word
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. suit — in cards
  5. wound — an injury
  6. spell — a short time
  7. root — the cause
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — letters
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. scale — size or range
  13. scale — in music
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. chair — a leader
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. root — of a plant
  19. wax — to grow
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — clothes
  22. wound — an injury
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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