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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: root · cap · cabinet · staff · wax · current · firm · land

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. staff — employees
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. current — happening now
  6. firm — a company
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a plant
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. current — electric
  11. root — of a word
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cap — a lid
  14. staff — employees
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wax — to grow
  18. firm — decided
  19. current — of water
  20. land — a country
  21. firm — steady
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. land — ground
  24. land — to come down

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