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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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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 · bowl · wax · pitcher · bay · calf · rock · perch

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. wax — to grow
  3. root — the cause
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. root — of a plant
  10. perch — the fish
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. root — of a word
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. rock — music
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. calf — of the leg

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