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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. staff — a stick
  14. rash — a series
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. staff — employees
  17. wax — to grow
  18. stem — to come from
  19. board — a committee
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. staff — employees
  22. board — to get on
  23. rash — hasty
  24. stem — a stem cell

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