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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.

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: chest · ball · mouse · stick · stem · current · spell · cue

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. chest — of your body
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. ball — a dance
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. cue — a hint
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. current — of water
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stem — to come from
  15. cue — for pool
  16. current — electric
  17. chest — a box
  18. spell — a short time
  19. current — happening now
  20. spell — magic
  21. chest — of your body
  22. spell — letters
  23. cue — a signal
  24. ball — a great time

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