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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.

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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 · face · stick · root · mate · bay · cabinet · suit

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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. mate — a friend
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to confront
  6. root — of a word
  7. suit — to fit
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. root — the cause
  16. face — to point toward
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. mate — to breed
  21. root — of a plant
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. suit — in cards
  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