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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: spell · root · mate · chair · tube · pound · bear · wax

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — the cause
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mate — to breed
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. chair — a leader
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — a container
  17. wax — to grow
  18. spell — magic
  19. spell — letters
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. mate — a friend
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mate — a partner

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