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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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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 · pop · stem · dip · arm · suit · fall · shower

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. cue — for pool
  4. fall — to drop
  5. dip — to sink
  6. pop — soda
  7. cue — a signal
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pop — music
  10. fall — the season
  11. pop — to visit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. fall — to drop
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. suit — clothes
  19. stem — to come from
  20. shower — to wash
  21. cue — a hint
  22. suit — to fit
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. dip — to dunk

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