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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 120 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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. march — music
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. march — the month
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. march — the month
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. wax — to grow
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — music
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bear — the animal
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. prune — to trim

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