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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: leaves · pass · bay · wave · branch · wax · stock · rock

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. pass — a permit
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. branch — a division
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. rock — a stone
  24. stock — goods

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