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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 · calf · net · stem · charge · dip · can · hand

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. net — after costs
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. cue — a signal
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. charge — in control
  8. can — a tin
  9. dip — to sink
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — for pool
  12. charge — electricity
  13. hand — in cards
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. can — a tin
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. charge — a price
  19. can — to be able to
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. hand — help
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. stem — to come from
  24. calf — a young animal

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