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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: court · scale · bay · object · cue · stem

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. stem — to come from
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. object — to protest
  6. cue — a hint
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. object — an aim
  9. court — of a king
  10. scale — size or range
  11. court — for sport
  12. cue — a signal
  13. object — a thing
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. court — of law
  16. cue — for pool
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. stem — of a plant

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