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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.

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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: staff · rush · mark · straw · bore · stem · wax · stock

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. stock — shares
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. bore — to drill
  12. wax — to grow
  13. mark — a trace
  14. staff — employees
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. bore — to tire
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. staff — a stick
  19. stock — goods
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. rush — hurry
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. staff — employees

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