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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bass — the fish
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. bass — low music
  7. rule — government
  8. object — a thing
  9. shower — rain
  10. cue — for pool
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — an aim
  15. pound — a weight
  16. cue — a hint
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. rule — a law
  20. stem — to come from
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. cue — a signal
  23. shower — to wash
  24. bass — the instrument

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