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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: stock · wax · stem · saw · lash · root · ball · bank

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. ball — a great time
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bank — for money
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. root — of a plant
  8. stock — shares
  9. ball — a dance
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. root — the cause
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — to grow
  17. saw — the tool
  18. stock — goods
  19. bank — of a river
  20. root — of a word
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bank — for money
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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