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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: racket · wax · stock · band · root · bass · ruler · object

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. object — a thing
  3. stock — goods
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. object — to protest
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. root — the cause
  9. stock — shares
  10. object — an aim
  11. wax — to grow
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. band — a music group
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. root — of a plant
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. root — of a word
  21. band — a ring
  22. bass — low music
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bass — the fish

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