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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: stock · court · branch · root · rash · snap · vault · wake

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. branch — a division
  3. snap — to click
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — a trail
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. stock — goods
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. court — for sport
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. stock — shares
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. court — of law
  15. vault — a safe
  16. court — of a king
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — the cause
  21. rash — a series
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. rash — hasty
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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