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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 120 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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. cue — a signal
  5. stem — to come from
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — music
  8. kick — in football
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. lean — thin
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. wake — a trail
  15. lean — to bend
  16. pass — a permit
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — to crush
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. cue — for pool
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. cue — a hint

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