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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 124 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: stick · last · wax · plane · rule · root · lie · bulb

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  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. rule — government
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. last — final
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. last — to go on
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rule — a law
  12. root — the cause
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. last — finally
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. root — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wax — to grow
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. rule — to rule out
  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