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

Word bank: racket · toast · cue · foot · perch · band · key · stem

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. perch — the fish
  5. cue — for pool
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. band — a ring
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. foot — a measure
  12. cue — a hint
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. key — for a lock
  15. stem — to come from
  16. band — a music group
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. key — the most important part
  20. toast — bread
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. key — in music
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. racket — for tennis

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