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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 116 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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. wax — to grow
  3. tube — the underground
  4. deal — to handle
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. fall — to drop
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — boats
  10. tube — a container
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. lie — to recline
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. fall — the season
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. stem — to come from
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fall — to drop
  22. perch — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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