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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  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 hint
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. season — in sport
  7. cue — a signal
  8. season — of the year
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. cue — for pool
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. squash — to crush
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. squash — the sport
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. wake — a trail
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stem — to come from
  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