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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. net — for catching
  4. stem — to come from
  5. net — in sport
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bound — certain
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. cue — for pool
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bound — obliged
  17. vault — a safe
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bound — tied together
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bat — the animal
  23. net — after costs
  24. cue — a hint

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