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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: wax · cell · current · file · object · bore · stem · rush

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  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. file — a line of people
  2. stem — to come from
  3. object — to protest
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. current — electric
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bore — to drill
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. cell — a phone
  12. bore — to tire
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. current — of water
  15. object — an aim
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. file — a tool
  18. current — happening now
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. cell — in biology
  21. rush — hurry
  22. wax — to grow
  23. file — a document
  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