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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. stem — to come from
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. squash — to crush
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. track — a path
  9. mine — for digging
  10. track — a song
  11. track — to keep track
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. hand — help
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cue — a hint
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. hand — in cards
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. squash — the sport
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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