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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: face · suit · rest · nail · wax · bank · spring · stem

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. face — to point toward
  4. wax — to grow
  5. face — to confront
  6. spring — of water
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. suit — to fit
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. rest — what's left
  11. suit — clothes
  12. spring — a coil
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bank — for money
  16. rest — what's left
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bank — of a river
  19. rest — a break
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. spring — the season
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bank — for money
  24. wax — for sculpting

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