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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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Word bank
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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. cue — a signal
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. march — the month
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. season — of the year
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. stem — to come from
  21. march — the month
  22. season — in sport
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. march — music

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