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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. cue — for pool
  3. swing — music
  4. vault — a safe
  5. pop — music
  6. present — there
  7. present — a gift
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. swing — in golf
  11. stem — to come from
  12. swing — to play on
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. shower — rain
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. track — a path
  17. present — the time now
  18. track — to keep track
  19. cue — a hint
  20. pop — soda
  21. track — a song
  22. pop — to visit
  23. cue — a signal
  24. shower — to wash

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