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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  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. rock — to move gently
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bank — for money
  4. chest — of your body
  5. roll — a cake
  6. chest — a box
  7. chest — of your body
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. suit — clothes
  10. rock — music
  11. roll — a list
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bank — of a river
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. suit — to fit
  16. cue — for pool
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. suit — in cards
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bank — for money
  23. rock — a stone
  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