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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: board · bank · wax · pass · pitcher · scale · root · mine

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. scale — in music
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bank — of a river
  5. mine — for digging
  6. board — to get on
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bank — for money
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bank — for money
  12. board — a committee
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pass — a permit
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. wax — to grow
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. scale — size or range
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. root — the cause
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. root — of a word

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