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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 116 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: tear · stand · root · charge · spell · rock · wax · wave

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. spell — a short time
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. root — of a word
  5. stand — to bear
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. tear — from crying
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. root — the cause
  12. charge — a price
  13. root — of a plant
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. charge — electricity
  16. spell — letters
  17. charge — in control
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. rock — a stone
  22. spell — magic
  23. rock — music
  24. tear — to rip

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