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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: stem · cabinet · game · safe · bat · firm · stand · wax

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. firm — decided
  7. game — wild animals
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. firm — steady
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. wax — to grow
  15. stand — to bear
  16. game — a match
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stem — to come from
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. firm — a company
  24. bat — for baseball

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