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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
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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 · object · shower · key · pound · nail · prune · stem

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. prune — to trim
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — a thing
  7. prune — to trim
  8. key — the most important part
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. stem — to come from
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pound — a weight
  16. shower — rain
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. shower — to wash
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. key — in music
  21. object — to protest
  22. wax — to grow
  23. key — for a lock
  24. nail — for a hammer

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