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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: wax · mark · root · land · fan · swing · bore · wave

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. swing — in golf
  3. root — the cause
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. wax — to grow
  6. root — of a plant
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. root — of a word
  16. swing — music
  17. bore — to drill
  18. land — to come down
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. land — a country
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. swing — to play on
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. land — ground

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