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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. scale — in music
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — for pool
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. wax — to grow
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. current — electric
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — of water
  15. stem — to come from
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. cue — a signal
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. scale — size or range

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