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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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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: temple · tear · wake · staff · safe · wax · patient · stem

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. wake — a trail
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — employees
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. stem — to come from
  11. wax — to grow
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. tear — from crying
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. tear — to rip
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. tear — from crying
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. staff — a stick

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