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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 120 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: ball · kick · clip · bore · stem · hide · cue · tube

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. cue — for pool
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. clip — for paper
  6. clip — a video
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bore — to drill
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. clip — to cut
  14. bore — to tire
  15. stem — to come from
  16. kick — in football
  17. cue — a signal
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. cue — a hint
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — the underground
  24. hide — animal skin

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