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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: bowl · wax · spell · mug · content · current · root · rash

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. root — the cause
  3. wax — to grow
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. spell — magic
  6. root — of a plant
  7. current — of water
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. spell — letters
  10. rash — a series
  11. mug — a cup
  12. current — happening now
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. mug — a face
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. current — electric
  19. content — happy
  20. spell — a short time
  21. rash — hasty
  22. root — of a word
  23. content — the amount
  24. bowl — to roll

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