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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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. stem — to come from
  3. clip — to cut
  4. cue — for pool
  5. mug — a face
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. cue — a signal
  8. clip — a video
  9. craft — boats
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. ball — a great time
  14. wake — a trail
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. mug — to rob
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. ball — a dance
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. rush — hurry
  22. craft — a skill
  23. clip — for paper
  24. mug — a cup

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