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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 120 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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. cue — a signal
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — steady
  5. file — a document
  6. file — a line of people
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. firm — a company
  9. stem — to come from
  10. cue — a hint
  11. squash — to crush
  12. cue — for pool
  13. rest — what's left
  14. current — of water
  15. net — for catching
  16. rest — what's left
  17. net — after costs
  18. squash — the sport
  19. net — in sport
  20. rest — a break
  21. file — a tool
  22. current — electric
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. current — happening now

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