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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. club — a group
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. cue — a hint
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pass — a permit
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. wind — moving air
  12. lean — to bend
  13. wind — moving air
  14. cue — for pool
  15. club — for dancing
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. lean — thin
  19. club — for golf
  20. stem — to come from
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. cue — a signal

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