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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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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: cell · rest · roll · bulb · safe · wax · root · chest

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. rest — a break
  3. wax — to grow
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. root — of a word
  6. root — of a plant
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. chest — a box
  12. bulb — for light
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. root — the cause
  16. cell — in biology
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. rest — what's left
  19. roll — a list
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cell — a phone
  22. rest — what's left
  23. chest — of your body
  24. roll — a cake

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