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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: ball · club · net · stick · roll · cue · root · wax

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  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. root — of a word
  2. net — for catching
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. club — a group
  6. net — after costs
  7. club — for golf
  8. root — of a plant
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. cue — a hint
  11. wax — to grow
  12. cue — a signal
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. roll — a cake
  15. club — for dancing
  16. cue — for pool
  17. net — in sport
  18. root — the cause
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a dance
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. roll — a list
  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