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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. cue — for pool
  4. file — a line of people
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. club — for dancing
  8. file — a tool
  9. row — a line
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. row — to paddle
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. club — a group
  18. cue — a hint
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. club — for golf
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. file — a document
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. stem — to come from

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