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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
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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: cue · hand · stem · key · chair · nail · kick · net

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. hand — help
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. kick — in football
  5. key — the most important part
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. net — for catching
  8. hand — in cards
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. key — for a lock
  11. cue — for pool
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. key — in music
  14. net — after costs
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. net — in sport
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. cue — a signal
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. chair — a leader
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. cue — a hint

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