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

Word bank: ruler · stem · cue · chip · bay · stick

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. cue — for pool
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. chip — for betting
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. cue — a hint
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. cue — a signal
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bay — a part of the sea

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