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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: wax · cabinet · toast · rest · wave · net · last · root

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. last — finally
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. root — of a plant
  10. rest — a break
  11. last — to go on
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — for catching
  15. wax — to grow
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. root — the cause
  20. last — final
  21. root — of a word
  22. toast — bread
  23. net — in sport
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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