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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: leaves · patient · wax · stem · wave · plane · object · bay

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. plane — a tool
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. object — to protest
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. wax — to grow
  13. object — a thing
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. object — an aim
  23. stem — to come from
  24. plane — an aircraft

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