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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. ground — crushed
  6. stem — to come from
  7. cue — for pool
  8. capital — money
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. capital — a city
  11. ground — the earth
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. ground — a position
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mark — a grade
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. cue — a hint
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — to bear
  24. mark — a trace

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