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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: spell · stem · pop · wave · suit · last · cap · wax

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. suit — clothes
  4. spell — a short time
  5. spell — magic
  6. pop — soda
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — to come from
  9. cap — a lid
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. pop — music
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. pop — to visit
  15. cap — of ice
  16. last — to go on
  17. suit — to fit
  18. last — finally
  19. spell — letters
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. last — final
  22. cap — a hat
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wave — with your hand

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