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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. prune — to trim
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. cue — a hint
  7. prune — to trim
  8. cue — for pool
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — clothes
  15. stem — to come from
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. cue — a signal
  18. prune — the fruit

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