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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: coach · dip · wax · firm · stem · bulb · swing · spell

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. swing — in golf
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bulb — for light
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bulb — for light
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. firm — steady
  11. spell — letters
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — decided
  17. dip — to sink
  18. swing — to play on
  19. spell — magic
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. swing — music
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. stem — to come from

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