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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. cue — a signal
  4. stem — to come from
  5. squash — to crush
  6. lean — thin
  7. ground — crushed
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. squash — the sport
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — a position
  13. charge — in control
  14. lean — to bend
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. charge — electricity
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. charge — a price
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. cue — a hint

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