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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 116 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: present · can · file · wax · root · spring · kid · mouse

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. kid — child
  4. root — of a word
  5. present — there
  6. present — the time now
  7. file — a line of people
  8. kid — to tease
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. can — a tin
  11. spring — the season
  12. wax — to grow
  13. root — of a plant
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. spring — of water
  17. file — a tool
  18. root — the cause
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. can — to be able to
  21. spring — a coil
  22. can — a tin
  23. present — a gift
  24. mouse — for a computer

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