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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: leaves · wax · stem · arm · chest · deal · cabinet · board

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. chest — a box
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. stem — to come from
  5. board — to get on
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. wax — to grow
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. board — a committee
  19. chest — of your body
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. chest — of your body
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. leaves — lets stay

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