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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mouse · bore · present · wax · calf · stand · straw · stem

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. present — a gift
  5. present — the time now
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. bore — to drill
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bore — to tire
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. present — there
  24. wax — to grow

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