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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 124 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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. can — a tin
  3. bound — obliged
  4. mine — for digging
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bound — tied together
  8. ball — a dance
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. can — a tin
  12. cue — a hint
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bound — certain
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. net — for catching
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. cue — a signal
  19. net — in sport
  20. net — after costs
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. stem — to come from
  24. can — to be able to

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