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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. cell — a phone
  3. cue — for pool
  4. present — the time now
  5. fine — all right
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — soda
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. present — a gift
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. cell — in biology
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bass — low music
  15. present — there
  16. cue — a signal
  17. pop — to visit
  18. stem — to come from
  19. cue — a hint
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — the fish
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. fine — high quality

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