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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: present · date · kick · stem · club · pass · bass · wax

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — low music
  5. date — the fruit
  6. stem — to come from
  7. pass — a permit
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. present — there
  10. present — the time now
  11. club — for dancing
  12. club — for golf
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. present — a gift
  16. club — a group
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. kick — in football
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. bass — the fish
  24. kick — a thrill

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