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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: root · arm · wax · perch · suit · chair · rush · ball

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. suit — clothes
  4. root — of a plant
  5. ball — a great time
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a word
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rush — hurry
  13. wax — to grow
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. suit — to fit
  17. chair — a leader
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a dance
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. suit — in cards
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. arm — part of the body

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