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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: wax · stem · bore · straw · ball · mark · firm · foot

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. mark — a grade
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. mark — a trace
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — a company
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. bore — to tire
  10. ball — a great time
  11. wax — to grow
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bore — to drill
  16. stem — to come from
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. ball — a dance
  23. foot — a measure
  24. firm — steady

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