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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. cue — for pool
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. fine — all right
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bulb — for light
  8. band — a ring
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. band — a music group
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. cue — a signal
  18. fine — high quality
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. cue — a hint
  22. ball — a dance
  23. stem — to come from
  24. fine — a penalty

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