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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.

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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: foot · spring · swing · rest · wax · saw · stick · root

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — in golf
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — of a plant
  5. foot — a measure
  6. rest — what's left
  7. root — the cause
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rest — a break
  10. swing — music
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. spring — the season
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. spring — of water
  16. spring — a coil
  17. wax — to grow
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. rest — what's left
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. saw — the tool

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