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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. wax — to grow
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. season — in sport
  6. object — to protest
  7. cue — a hint
  8. stock — shares
  9. cue — for pool
  10. object — a thing
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. season — of the year
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. stem — to come from
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. cue — a signal
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. object — an aim
  21. stock — goods
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. wax — for sculpting

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