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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 · nail · perch · dip · fork · stem · deal · track

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. cue — a signal
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. track — to keep track
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. perch — the fish
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. stem — to come from
  17. track — a path
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. deal — to handle
  20. fork — in a road
  21. dip — to sink
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. track — a song

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