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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: firm · pop · foot · patient · straw · stem · rest · wax

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. firm — steady
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. pop — music
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. firm — a company
  12. rest — what's left
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. foot — a measure
  21. wax — to grow
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — soda
  24. firm — decided

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