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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: branch · sharp · bass · object · root · board · stock · wax

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. stock — goods
  4. bass — the fish
  5. branch — a division
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bass — low music
  8. root — of a plant
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a committee
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. stock — shares
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — to protest
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. root — of a word
  22. root — the cause
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. sharp — clever

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