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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: lash · stem · stock · wax · prune · dip · staff · plane

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. stock — goods
  3. stem — to come from
  4. wax — to grow
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. staff — a stick
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. staff — employees
  15. stock — shares
  16. prune — to trim
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. prune — to trim
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. staff — employees
  24. lash — an eyelash

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