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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.

Make a worksheet

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: stem · bore · hide · spell · cue · lean · rest · bass

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. rest — a break
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bass — the fish
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stem — to come from
  10. lean — thin
  11. spell — magic
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bore — to drill
  19. cue — for pool
  20. rest — what's left
  21. cue — a hint
  22. spell — letters
  23. bore — to tire
  24. spell — a short time

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