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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. file — a document
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. stem — to come from
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. cue — a signal
  19. file — a tool
  20. bat — the animal
  21. deal — to handle
  22. file — a line of people
  23. cue — a hint
  24. racket — for tennis

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