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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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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 · club · toast · wave · cue · plane · perch · rash

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. rash — hasty
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — a hint
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. rash — a series
  9. root — the cause
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. root — of a plant
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. club — for golf
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for dancing
  17. toast — bread
  18. cue — for pool
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. perch — the fish
  22. plane — a tool
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. perch — for a bird

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