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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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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: stem · deal · cap · clip · bank · wax · cue · wave

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bank — for money
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cue — for pool
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wax — to grow
  9. clip — a video
  10. clip — for paper
  11. clip — to cut
  12. bank — of a river
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bank — for money
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. cap — a hat
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cue — a hint
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stem — to come from
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — to handle

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