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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. cue — for pool
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. ball — a dance
  6. key — in music
  7. stem — to come from
  8. key — the most important part
  9. snap — to click
  10. cell — a phone
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. cell — in biology
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. bear — the animal
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. key — for a lock
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bear — the animal
  21. chip — to eat
  22. cue — a signal
  23. chip — for betting
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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