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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 116 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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. fall — to drop
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. cue — for pool
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. charge — a price
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. charge — electricity
  15. stem — to come from
  16. last — finally
  17. cue — a signal
  18. last — to go on
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fall — the season
  21. cue — a hint
  22. fall — to drop
  23. last — final
  24. charge — in control

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