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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: chest · wax · leaves · root · prune · fine · snap · lash

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. chest — a box
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. root — the cause
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. prune — to trim
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. wax — to grow
  12. prune — to trim
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. chest — of your body
  15. fine — all right
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. chest — of your body
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. fine — high quality
  21. snap — to click
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. root — of a word
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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