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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: root · wax · rule · bass · mark · snap · nail · toast

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bass — the fish
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rule — government
  10. mark — a grade
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. rule — a law
  13. wax — to grow
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. root — the cause
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. root — of a word
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. snap — to click
  21. mark — a trace
  22. root — of a plant
  23. toast — bread
  24. bass — low music

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