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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: pass · stem · bear · cabinet · stock · wax · leaves · bound

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. bound — certain
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. stock — goods
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. stock — shares
  14. pass — a permit
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. bound — obliged
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. wax — to grow
  24. leaves — to go away

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