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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. squash — to crush
  4. stem — to come from
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bass — the fish
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. wax — to grow
  12. suit — to fit
  13. squash — the sport
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. suit — in cards
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bass — low music
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. cabinet — ministers

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