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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
468
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: wax · straw · root · perch · charge · staff · hand · plane

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. charge — in control
  3. root — the cause
  4. wax — to grow
  5. hand — help
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. charge — electricity
  9. perch — the fish
  10. staff — employees
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. staff — a stick
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. hand — in cards
  15. root — of a word
  16. charge — a price
  17. staff — employees
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. root — of a plant
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. straw — a straw man

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