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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
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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: nail · can · perch · cabinet · stem · deal · chest · wax

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. chest — of your body
  5. perch — the fish
  6. stem — to come from
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. can — a tin
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. can — a tin
  13. wax — to grow
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. chest — a box
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. can — to be able to
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. deal — to handle

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