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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. prune — to trim
  3. can — a tin
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bear — the animal
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. snap — to click
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. cue — for pool
  17. can — to be able to
  18. cue — a hint
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. vault — a safe
  21. prune — to trim
  22. can — a tin
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. stem — a stem cell

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