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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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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: key · present · root · spell · bear · wax · club · rock

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. rock — a stone
  3. present — a gift
  4. wax — to grow
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. club — for dancing
  8. root — the cause
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rock — music
  12. key — in music
  13. club — for golf
  14. bear — the animal
  15. spell — a short time
  16. root — of a word
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. present — the time now
  19. root — of a plant
  20. spell — letters
  21. key — the most important part
  22. spell — magic
  23. present — there
  24. club — a group

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