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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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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 · bound · pass · root · craft · pound · wave · branch

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pound — a weight
  5. root — the cause
  6. object — to protest
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. craft — boats
  11. object — a thing
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. branch — a division
  14. object — an aim
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bound — certain
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bound — tied together
  20. root — of a word
  21. bound — obliged
  22. root — of a plant
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. pound — for dogs

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