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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: pass · bulb · rush · suit · stem · object · court · wax

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. court — of a king
  4. suit — clothes
  5. object — to protest
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bulb — for light
  9. object — an aim
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. rush — hurry
  13. court — of law
  14. suit — in cards
  15. court — for sport
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pass — a permit
  18. wax — to grow
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bulb — for light
  24. object — a thing

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