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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. date — the fruit
  6. saw — the tool
  7. toast — bread
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. rash — a series
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. rash — hasty
  22. wax — to grow
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. wax — in the ear

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