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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 · chest · stem · rock · cue · file · hide · calf

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. chest — a box
  3. file — a document
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. cue — a signal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. file — a line of people
  9. wax — to grow
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. rock — music
  13. chest — of your body
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — to come from
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rock — a stone
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. cue — for pool
  20. chest — of your body
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cue — a hint
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. rock — to move gently

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