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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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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: perch · craft · racket · pound · wave · wax · root · toast

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. toast — bread
  7. craft — boats
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. root — of a word
  11. perch — the fish
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. pound — a weight
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. wax — to grow
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. root — the cause
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. racket — for tennis

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