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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.

Make a worksheet

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: stem · dip · wax · suit · stick · board · scale · rock

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. rock — music
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wax — to grow
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. board — a committee
  9. stem — to come from
  10. rock — a stone
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. scale — size or range
  14. scale — in music
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. suit — in cards
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. board — to get on
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. dip — to sink
  24. suit — clothes

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