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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cell — a phone
  5. stem — to come from
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a hint
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cell — in biology
  11. plane — a tool
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. suit — to fit
  16. swing — in golf
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — music
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. mark — a trace
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. suit — in cards

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