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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.

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: leaves · shower · club · cue · cabinet · stem · bay · rash

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. 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. bay — to keep at bay
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rash — hasty
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. stem — to come from
  8. cue — for pool
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. cue — a hint
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. club — a group
  14. shower — rain
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — for dancing
  21. shower — to wash
  22. rash — a series
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. 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