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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: stand · straw · swing · plane · rock · net · cue · stem

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. swing — music
  3. net — for catching
  4. cue — a hint
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. net — in sport
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. rock — music
  16. swing — to play on
  17. cue — a signal
  18. rock — a stone
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. swing — in golf
  21. cue — for pool
  22. stem — to come from
  23. net — after costs
  24. plane — an aircraft

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