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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.

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: root · perch · bank · fan · mate · wax · sharp · straw

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. bank — of a river
  3. perch — the fish
  4. mate — to breed
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. sharp — clever
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. root — the cause
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. mate — a friend
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bank — for money
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. root — of a plant
  19. root — of a word
  20. bank — for money
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. wax — in the ear
  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