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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. stand — to bear
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. cue — a signal
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. cell — in biology
  10. bulb — for light
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — a measure
  13. last — finally
  14. branch — a division
  15. stem — to come from
  16. cell — a phone
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. last — to go on
  21. cue — a hint
  22. last — final
  23. bulb — for light
  24. branch — of a tree

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