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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 116 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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. cue — a signal
  4. last — finally
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pop — to visit
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. pop — soda
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. last — final
  17. cue — for pool
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. pop — music
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cue — a hint
  22. stem — to come from
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. last — to go on

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