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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. mug — a cup
  7. cue — a hint
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. mug — a face
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. wound — an injury
  12. cue — for pool
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stem — to come from
  17. wound — an injury
  18. chair — a leader
  19. mug — to rob
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. fine — high quality
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. cue — a signal
  24. trunk — of a tree

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