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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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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: roll · stem · wake · branch · scale · wave · chip · wax

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. roll — a cake
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. chip — to eat
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. wake — a trail
  12. stem — to come from
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. scale — size or range
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — to grow
  19. chip — for betting
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. roll — a list
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. scale — in music

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