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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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468
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 · spell · tear · cabinet · face · arm · nail · wax

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. spell — letters
  4. wax — to grow
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. tear — to rip
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. face — to point toward
  12. spell — magic
  13. root — the cause
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. tear — from crying
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. spell — a short time
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — of a plant
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. face — to confront
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. tear — from crying

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