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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: capital · arm · saw · stem · stock · stick · wax · can

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. stock — shares
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. can — a tin
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. wax — to grow
  9. saw — the tool
  10. capital — a city
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. can — a tin
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — goods
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. capital — money
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. saw — the tool

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