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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: wax · stem · mouse · squash · date · current · ball · bore

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. ball — a dance
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bore — to drill
  6. current — of water
  7. squash — to crush
  8. wax — to grow
  9. current — electric
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. squash — the sport
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. current — happening now
  21. bore — to tire
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. date — the fruit
  24. ball — a great time

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