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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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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: rock · stick · current · season · spell · cue · object · stem

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. rock — music
  5. object — an aim
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. object — a thing
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. current — happening now
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — for pool
  14. current — of water
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — of the year
  17. object — to protest
  18. spell — letters
  19. current — electric
  20. rock — a stone
  21. stem — to come from
  22. spell — a short time
  23. season — in sport
  24. spell — magic

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