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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. cue — a hint
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. chip — to eat
  5. ball — a dance
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bass — low music
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. hand — in cards
  10. cue — a signal
  11. dip — to sink
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a great time
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. hand — help
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. cue — for pool
  20. stem — to come from
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bass — the fish

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