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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 · safe · mouse · wind · wax · object · key · saw

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. object — a thing
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. saw — the tool
  8. key — for a lock
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. object — to protest
  11. key — the most important part
  12. wind — moving air
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. key — in music
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. wax — to grow
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. stem — to come from
  23. object — an aim
  24. saw — the tool

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