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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.

Words on the sheet
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: lie · mate · root · ground · wax · cap · pass · land

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. cap — a lid
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wax — to grow
  6. ground — crushed
  7. root — the cause
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. mate — a friend
  12. cap — a hat
  13. mate — to breed
  14. root — of a plant
  15. mate — a partner
  16. land — to come down
  17. land — ground
  18. ground — a position
  19. cap — of ice
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. ground — the earth
  22. land — a country
  23. root — of a word
  24. pass — a permit

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