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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. cue — a hint
  3. ball — a dance
  4. stem — to come from
  5. can — to be able to
  6. charge — a price
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bank — for money
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bank — for money
  13. can — a tin
  14. charge — in control
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. bank — of a river
  17. charge — electricity
  18. can — a tin
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cell — in biology
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. cell — a phone
  23. ball — a great time
  24. cue — for pool

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