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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 120 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 · foot · game · lash · wax · cue · bear · board

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. root — of a plant
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — a hint
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. game — wild animals
  7. board — to get on
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bear — the animal
  12. game — a match
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. board — a committee
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. root — the cause
  20. foot — a measure
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. root — of a word

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