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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: fine · lean · root · mark · chest · leaves · roll · wax

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. root — of a plant
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. mark — a grade
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. root — the cause
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. roll — a list
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. roll — a cake
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. chest — a box
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. chest — of your body
  15. root — of a word
  16. fine — all right
  17. mark — a trace
  18. lean — to bend
  19. chest — of your body
  20. wax — to grow
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. lean — thin
  24. fine — high quality

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