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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 124 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. ground — a position
  3. shower — rain
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bank — of a river
  6. cue — a signal
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. ground — the earth
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. stem — to come from
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. ground — crushed
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. shower — to wash
  20. saw — the tool
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. saw — the tool
  23. cue — a hint
  24. perch — for a bird

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