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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: ground · spell · wax · fan · suit · lean · stick · temple

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. ground — crushed
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — thin
  6. wax — to grow
  7. spell — magic
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — clothes
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. ground — a position
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. suit — in cards
  21. ground — the earth
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. spell — letters
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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