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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. firm — steady
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. snap — to click
  8. firm — a company
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. firm — decided
  11. root — the cause
  12. stem — to come from
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bear — the animal
  17. root — of a word
  18. fork — in a road
  19. root — of a plant
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mine — for digging
  24. fork — a garden tool

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