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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: wax · object · row · face · wave · can · stem · dip

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. wax — to grow
  6. can — a tin
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. row — a line
  9. face — to confront
  10. face — part of the head
  11. object — a thing
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. dip — to sink
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. object — to protest
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. can — a tin
  18. row — to paddle
  19. stem — to come from
  20. face — to point toward
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. object — an aim
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. can — to be able to

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