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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 120 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: wake · tube · suit · present · pop · wax · foot · stem

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. pop — to visit
  3. tube — the underground
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. suit — clothes
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. foot — a measure
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. wax — to grow
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. stem — to come from
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. wake — a trail
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — there
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. present — the time now
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — music
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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