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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: tube · craft · foot · ruler · pass · root · wax · capital

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. root — the cause
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. capital — a city
  8. tube — a container
  9. root — of a plant
  10. tube — the underground
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. craft — a skill
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. capital — money
  17. wax — to grow
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. craft — boats
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. root — of a word

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