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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 · toast · lie · stick · clip · cue · bass

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. lie — to recline
  3. root — of a plant
  4. clip — for paper
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cue — a hint
  7. toast — bread
  8. cue — a signal
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. clip — a video
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bass — the fish
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bass — low music
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. root — of a word
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. root — the cause
  23. clip — to cut
  24. wax — to grow

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