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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
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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: race · root · lie · mark · ball · row · suit · wax

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. root — of a word
  3. suit — in cards
  4. row — to paddle
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. row — a line
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. suit — to fit
  10. lie — to recline
  11. root — of a plant
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. mark — a trace
  14. root — the cause
  15. suit — clothes
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. race — a contest
  18. mark — a grade
  19. ball — a dance
  20. wax — to grow
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. race — the arms race
  23. race — humankind
  24. ball — a great time

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