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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 116 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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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: root · wax · ruler · fan · face · tear · bowl · file

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. root — of a plant
  4. tear — from crying
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. face — to confront
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. root — the cause
  9. face — to point toward
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. root — of a word
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. file — a tool
  15. file — a line of people
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — to rip
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. face — part of the head
  24. file — a document

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