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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: root · lean · wax · cap · bark · chip · fork · sharp

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. root — the cause
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — to eat
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. cap — of ice
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bark — to shout
  12. cap — a lid
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. cap — a hat
  15. sharp — clever
  16. fork — in a road
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — of a plant
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. lean — thin

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