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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: wax · mate · cue · chest · root · stand · branch · object

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. root — of a plant
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. chest — a box
  6. mate — a partner
  7. cue — a hint
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — to breed
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. root — of a word
  12. cue — for pool
  13. object — an aim
  14. branch — a division
  15. chest — of your body
  16. wax — to grow
  17. chest — of your body
  18. object — a thing
  19. root — the cause
  20. cue — a signal
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. stand — to bear
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. object — to protest

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