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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: rock · cue · staff · object · chest · spell · leaves · stem

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. rock — a stone
  3. chest — of your body
  4. spell — magic
  5. cue — a signal
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. chest — a box
  10. object — an aim
  11. chest — of your body
  12. spell — letters
  13. stem — to come from
  14. cue — a hint
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. object — a thing
  17. rock — music
  18. staff — employees
  19. cue — for pool
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. staff — a stick
  22. staff — employees
  23. object — to protest
  24. rock — to move gently

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