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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: saw · stem · shower · cue · pass · suit · trunk · fine

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cue — a hint
  4. stem — to come from
  5. saw — the tool
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. fine — high quality
  10. cue — a signal
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. shower — to wash
  13. cue — for pool
  14. pass — a permit
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. suit — to fit
  18. saw — the tool
  19. shower — rain
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fine — all right
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. trunk — of a car

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