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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: stem · prune · wave · stick · bay · pop · charge · wax

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. charge — a price
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — soda
  17. charge — in control
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stem — to come from
  20. wax — to grow
  21. pop — music
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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