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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stem · racket · leaves · wax · firm · roll · bank · squash

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. stem — to come from
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. squash — the sport
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. wax — to grow
  12. roll — a list
  13. bank — for money
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. firm — decided
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — steady
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. roll — a cake
  24. racket — a loud noise

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