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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — a hint
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. stem — to come from
  21. cue — for pool
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. stem — of a plant

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