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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: snap · stem · court · hide · rule · mug · cue · bay

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. mug — a face
  5. rule — government
  6. cue — a signal
  7. mug — to rob
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. snap — to click
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. rule — a law
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. cue — a hint
  20. court — of a king
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. court — of law
  23. cue — for pool
  24. stem — to come from

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