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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: lash · stem · cue · bulb · leaves · wax · game · kick

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cue — for pool
  3. wax — to grow
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. stem — to come from
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. cue — a signal
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. game — wild animals
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. cue — a hint
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. kick — in football
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. game — a match
  24. kick — with a leg

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