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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: rule · wake · root · perch · object · wave · wax · club

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. club — for dancing
  3. rule — government
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. club — for golf
  6. root — the cause
  7. object — a thing
  8. wake — a trail
  9. perch — the fish
  10. object — an aim
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wax — to grow
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. object — to protest
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. club — a group
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. rule — a law
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — for sculpting

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