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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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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: craft · wax · root · scale · mate · bowl · trunk · stick

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. mate — a friend
  7. root — of a word
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — in music
  10. wax — to grow
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. scale — size or range
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. mate — to breed
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. mate — a partner
  23. root — the cause
  24. craft — boats

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