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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: suit · object · spell · prune · root · cap · ball · wax

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. ball — a dance
  4. root — of a plant
  5. cap — a hat
  6. wax — to grow
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. root — the cause
  9. suit — in cards
  10. cap — of ice
  11. object — a thing
  12. prune — to trim
  13. root — of a word
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. object — to protest
  16. spell — a short time
  17. suit — clothes
  18. ball — a great time
  19. cap — a lid
  20. suit — to fit
  21. spell — letters
  22. prune — to trim
  23. object — an aim
  24. spell — magic

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