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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.

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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: cue · wave · bank · stick · stem · degree · spell · bay

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. spell — letters
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. degree — from a university
  6. cue — for pool
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bank — for money
  9. cue — a hint
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bank — for money
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. cue — a signal
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bank — of a river
  21. spell — magic
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. degree — an amount
  24. degree — temperature

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