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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 120 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: bank · stick · root · wax · key · dip · stock · board

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. stock — goods
  6. root — of a plant
  7. key — the most important part
  8. root — the cause
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. stock — shares
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. dip — to sink
  15. root — of a word
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bank — of a river
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bank — for money
  20. key — in music
  21. board — to get on
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — a flat piece

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