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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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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: wake · ground · foot · spell · safe · wax · firm · staff

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. ground — the earth
  4. foot — a measure
  5. ground — crushed
  6. spell — a short time
  7. wax — to grow
  8. firm — decided
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. firm — a company
  12. spell — magic
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wake — a trail
  15. staff — employees
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. firm — steady
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — a stick
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. ground — a position
  23. spell — letters
  24. foot — the bottom

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