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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: last · fork · wax · lash · pass · pit · root · fall

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. wax — to grow
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. pass — a permit
  6. last — final
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. last — finally
  9. pit — in a race
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fall — the season
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — of a plant
  14. last — to go on
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. fall — to drop
  17. pit — a hole
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. fall — to drop
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. wax — in the ear

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