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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: firm · court · foot · cue · cabinet · stem · kid · pitch

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. cue — a hint
  3. foot — a measure
  4. pitch — completely
  5. firm — a company
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cue — for pool
  9. firm — decided
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. court — of a king
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. court — for sport
  19. kid — child
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. court — of law
  22. kid — to tease
  23. firm — steady
  24. stem — to come from

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