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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. object — to protest
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. suit — in cards
  6. wax — to grow
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — the season
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. object — a thing
  14. stem — to come from
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. file — a tool
  17. suit — to fit
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. fall — to drop
  20. suit — clothes
  21. object — an aim
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. deal — to handle
  24. file — a line of people

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