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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 116 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: stand · stem · rash · wake · track · band · sharp · wax

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. stand — to bear
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. rash — a series
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. band — a music group
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stem — to come from
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. track — a song
  14. band — a ring
  15. rash — hasty
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. track — to keep track
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. track — a path
  22. wax — to grow
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. sharp — clever

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