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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: bay · club · current · branch · press · sharp · wax · root

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  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. press — to push
  2. club — a group
  3. sharp — clever
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. club — for golf
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. root — the cause
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. current — happening now
  12. press — newspapers
  13. wax — to grow
  14. current — of water
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. press — a publisher
  18. root — of a word
  19. current — electric
  20. root — of a plant
  21. club — for dancing
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. branch — a division
  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