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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rash · club · wind · wax · root · pitcher · craft · plane

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. root — the cause
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. rash — hasty
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. club — a group
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. club — for golf
  15. rash — a series
  16. root — of a plant
  17. plane — a tool
  18. club — for dancing
  19. wax — to grow
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. craft — boats
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. plane — an aircraft

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