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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 120 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 · patient · net · key · stem · plane · bulb · perch

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. net — for catching
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. key — for a lock
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bulb — for light
  12. perch — the fish
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. net — in sport
  16. stem — to come from
  17. plane — a tool
  18. key — in music
  19. wax — to grow
  20. net — after costs
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. key — the most important part
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. wax — for sculpting

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