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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 116 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: fork · lie · stem · rock · cue · club · fall · root

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. cue — a hint
  4. fall — the season
  5. root — of a plant
  6. rock — a stone
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fall — to drop
  9. lie — to recline
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. fall — to drop
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. club — for golf
  16. fork — in a road
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — for pool
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. root — the cause
  21. rock — music
  22. root — of a word
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. club — a group

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