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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: toast · cabinet · wound · wax · craft · scale · bark · root

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  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. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. craft — a skill
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. toast — bread
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. root — the cause
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wound — an injury
  15. scale — in music
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wax — to grow
  19. bark — to shout
  20. scale — size or range
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. root — of a word
  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