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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: roll · stem · wax · stick · wound · date · wave · bay

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wound — an injury
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. roll — a list
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. stem — to come from
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. date — the fruit
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. roll — a cake

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