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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 120 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: track · mate · coach · stem · bowl · cue · snap · chair

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. chair — a leader
  4. track — a path
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a partner
  8. stem — to come from
  9. track — a song
  10. track — to keep track
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — for pool
  15. snap — to click
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. cue — a hint
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. mate — a friend
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. chair — a professorship

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