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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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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: bear · mouse · kid · key · cue · craft · arm · stem

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. stem — to come from
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. kid — child
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. key — for a lock
  11. cue — for pool
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — in music
  14. bear — the animal
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. craft — a skill
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. craft — boats

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