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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: fine · shower · cue · toast · stem · coach · cap · present

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. cap — a lid
  3. fine — all right
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cue — for pool
  8. toast — bread
  9. fine — high quality
  10. shower — rain
  11. cue — a hint
  12. present — the time now
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. present — a gift
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. cue — a signal
  23. present — there
  24. shower — to wash

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