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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: stem · root · pop · straw · arm · firm · wave · cue

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pop — music
  3. cue — a signal
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. pop — soda
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. firm — decided
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. firm — steady
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. stem — to come from
  13. root — the cause
  14. firm — a company
  15. cue — for pool
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — of a word
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. pop — to visit
  23. cue — a hint
  24. wave — with your hand

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