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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 · roll · cue · capital · hide · content · mug · board

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. capital — money
  3. mug — a cup
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. cue — a hint
  8. board — to get on
  9. stem — to come from
  10. cue — a signal
  11. board — a committee
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. roll — a cake
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. mug — to rob
  17. content — happy
  18. mug — a face
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. content — the amount
  21. capital — a city
  22. cue — for pool
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. hide — animal skin

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