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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. content — the amount
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. scale — in music
  7. face — to confront
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. rush — hurry
  10. shower — to wash
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. face — to point toward
  13. current — happening now
  14. stem — to come from
  15. content — happy
  16. current — electric
  17. scale — size or range
  18. cue — for pool
  19. current — of water
  20. cue — a signal
  21. face — part of the head
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. shower — rain

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