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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bass · foot · root · wax · spell · cabinet · dip · bulb

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. wax — to grow
  3. spell — magic
  4. bulb — for light
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. root — the cause
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bass — low music
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bass — the fish
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bulb — for light
  21. foot — a measure
  22. root — of a plant
  23. root — of a word
  24. wax — for sculpting

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