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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: wax · prune · racket · root · leaves · date · lie · board

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. prune — to trim
  4. root — the cause
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. wax — to grow
  9. root — of a word
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — the fruit
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. board — to get on
  14. root — of a plant
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. board — a committee
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. lie — to recline
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. lie — an untruth

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