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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: mate · stem · swing · scale · mug · wax · can · track

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. swing — music
  3. stem — to come from
  4. can — a tin
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. scale — in music
  7. track — a song
  8. scale — size or range
  9. can — a tin
  10. wax — to grow
  11. track — to keep track
  12. swing — in golf
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. mug — to rob
  15. can — to be able to
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mate — to breed
  19. track — a path
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. mate — a friend
  22. swing — to play on
  23. mug — a face
  24. mug — a cup

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