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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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. cue — for pool
  3. staff — employees
  4. cue — a signal
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. race — the arms race
  7. bore — to tire
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. bore — to drill
  10. race — humankind
  11. staff — a stick
  12. staff — employees
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a lid
  15. race — a contest
  16. file — a document
  17. cap — a hat
  18. club — for golf
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. stem — to come from
  21. cue — a hint
  22. file — a tool
  23. club — for dancing
  24. file — a line of people

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