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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: wax · root · calf · plane · stem · perch · nail · pop

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. root — the cause
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. root — of a plant
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. perch — the fish
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. pop — soda
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. plane — a tool
  20. pop — to visit
  21. root — of a word
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. wax — to grow
  24. pop — music

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