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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 116 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 · rash · kick · fine · pit · root · spring · drill

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. wax — to grow
  3. spring — the season
  4. drill — a practice
  5. fine — all right
  6. root — the cause
  7. spring — of water
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. pit — in a race
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. spring — a coil
  14. rash — a series
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. rash — hasty
  18. drill — army training
  19. root — of a word
  20. fine — high quality
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. root — of a plant
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. drill — the tool

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