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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 120 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
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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: wax · cap · bound · stock · snap · root · last · straw

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. last — to go on
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bound — tied together
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. root — of a plant
  8. stock — shares
  9. last — finally
  10. bound — certain
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. snap — to click
  13. root — of a word
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. last — final
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. bound — obliged
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. wax — to grow
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — a hat
  24. stock — goods

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