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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.

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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 · stick · pass · root · present · deal · last · land

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. land — ground
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. root — of a word
  7. pass — a permit
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a plant
  12. present — there
  13. last — final
  14. last — to go on
  15. land — a country
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. present — a gift
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. land — to come down
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. last — finally
  22. present — the time now
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — a big deal

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