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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — to come from
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — the fish
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. cue — a hint
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. cold — not warm
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bass — low music
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. cold — an illness
  21. cue — for pool
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. deal — to handle
  24. fork — to eat with

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