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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 · rash · fine · leaves · bulb · racket · rule

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stem — to come from
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. wax — to grow
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rule — a law
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. rash — a series
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rash — hasty
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. fine — all right
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. rule — government
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. fine — a penalty

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