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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: land · spell · stick · firm · can · wax · rule · leaves

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. land — ground
  3. spell — a short time
  4. land — a country
  5. firm — decided
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. spell — magic
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. land — to come down
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. wax — to grow
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. can — to be able to
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. spell — letters
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — a company
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. rule — a law
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. leaves — lets stay

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