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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 116 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: stand · mark · calf · stem · fan · race · pop · wax

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. race — humankind
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stand — to bear
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. mark — a trace
  10. race — the arms race
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. wax — to grow
  13. mark — a grade
  14. pop — to visit
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. pop — soda
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. race — a contest

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