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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: cue · kid · stem · bore · dip · rash · lean · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. kid — to tease
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. kid — child
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bore — to drill
  7. dip — to sink
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bore — to tire
  10. suit — to fit
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. lean — thin
  13. cue — a hint
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rash — hasty
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stem — to come from
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. rash — a series
  24. lean — to bend

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