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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. cue — for pool
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cue — a hint
  7. net — after costs
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. cue — a signal
  10. net — in sport
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bear — the animal
  16. net — for catching
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. stem — to come from
  22. board — to get on
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. board — a committee

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