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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bass — low music
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bore — to tire
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. mug — a face
  11. race — humankind
  12. stem — to come from
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. race — a contest
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a cup
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bore — to drill
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. race — the arms race
  23. fine — high quality
  24. cue — a signal

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