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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — decided
  4. cue — a hint
  5. snap — to click
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. can — a tin
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. cue — for pool
  10. stem — to come from
  11. spring — of water
  12. firm — steady
  13. game — wild animals
  14. mark — a trace
  15. game — a match
  16. cue — a signal
  17. spring — the season
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. can — to be able to
  21. spring — a coil
  22. mark — a grade
  23. can — a tin
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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