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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. wax — to grow
  3. suit — in cards
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. pop — music
  6. suit — to fit
  7. stem — to come from
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. can — a tin
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — a stick
  12. current — of water
  13. suit — clothes
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. can — to be able to
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. can — a tin
  18. pop — to visit
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. staff — employees
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. current — happening now
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. current — electric

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