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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 · court · track · bulb · craft · stem · suit · bear

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. suit — in cards
  3. court — of law
  4. suit — clothes
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wax — to grow
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. track — to keep track
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. track — a song
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. court — of a king
  19. track — a path
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bulb — for light
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bulb — for light
  24. craft — boats

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