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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: object · board · wake · branch · bound · pass · ball · root

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. board — to get on
  3. root — of a plant
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. ball — a dance
  7. root — of a word
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bound — tied together
  10. board — a committee
  11. wake — a trail
  12. root — the cause
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. ball — a great time
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. object — to protest
  18. pass — a permit
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. branch — a division
  21. object — an aim
  22. bound — certain
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bound — obliged

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