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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. stem — to come from
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. last — finally
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. wake — a trail
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. squash — to crush
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. last — to go on
  16. last — final
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. squash — the sport
  20. cue — for pool
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. cue — a hint

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