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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: pop · ground · cue · charge · suit · plane · board · stem

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. ground — crushed
  3. suit — clothes
  4. board — a committee
  5. charge — electricity
  6. stem — to come from
  7. charge — a price
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. ground — the earth
  11. cue — a hint
  12. board — to get on
  13. pop — to visit
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. suit — to fit
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. cue — a signal
  18. suit — in cards
  19. charge — in control
  20. pop — soda
  21. ground — a position
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pop — music
  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