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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: mark · present · kid · suit · stem · charge · cue · bass

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. mark — a trace
  3. suit — to fit
  4. charge — a price
  5. present — a gift
  6. suit — in cards
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. bass — the fish
  10. mark — a grade
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. cue — a signal
  14. present — there
  15. bass — low music
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a hint
  18. kid — child
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. stem — to come from
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — in control
  23. present — the time now
  24. stem — a stem cell

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