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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: saw · stem · pass · wax · stock · lean · suit · mate

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. mate — a friend
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. stock — shares
  6. saw — the tool
  7. stem — to come from
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. pass — a permit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a partner
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. suit — clothes
  20. lean — thin
  21. wax — to grow
  22. stock — goods
  23. saw — the tool
  24. lean — to bend

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