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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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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. cue — a hint
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. net — after costs
  7. cue — for pool
  8. tube — a container
  9. key — the most important part
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. tube — the underground
  12. key — for a lock
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — in sport
  15. stem — to come from
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. wax — to grow
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — in a road
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. cue — a signal

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