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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: nail · fall · shower · pass · wax · cabinet · root · board

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. root — the cause
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. wax — to grow
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. board — a committee
  10. shower — to wash
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. fall — the season
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. fall — to drop
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. shower — rain
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. root — of a word
  22. fall — to drop
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. pass — a permit

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