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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.

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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: wave · stem · prune · staff · snap · cue · fine · bowl

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. staff — employees
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. stem — to come from
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. fine — high quality
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. cue — a signal
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. staff — employees
  16. cue — a hint
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. snap — to click
  19. prune — to trim
  20. fine — all right
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. staff — a stick
  23. cue — for pool
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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