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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 116 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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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: staff · wax · cell · fork · stem · club · calf · rest

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. wax — to grow
  3. cell — in biology
  4. rest — what's left
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. rest — what's left
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. rest — a break
  9. cell — a phone
  10. staff — employees
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. club — a group
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. stem — to come from
  16. club — for dancing
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. staff — employees
  23. club — for golf
  24. wax — for sculpting

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