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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 · branch · swing · chip · suit · stock · bank · sharp

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. swing — in golf
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. swing — to play on
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. branch — a division
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bank — for money
  12. suit — clothes
  13. swing — music
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bank — of a river
  16. wax — to grow
  17. stock — shares
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. suit — in cards
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bank — for money
  23. stock — goods
  24. sharp — exactly

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