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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 · pitcher · bark · stand · fork · object · bowl · wax

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. wax — to grow
  3. root — the cause
  4. object — a thing
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. object — an aim
  11. root — of a word
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. object — to protest
  14. fork — in a road
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. bark — to shout
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. stand — for spectators

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