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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 · fork · cue · rash · coach · hand · current · staff

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. staff — employees
  5. hand — in cards
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — of water
  9. rash — a series
  10. fork — in a road
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. stem — to come from
  13. rash — hasty
  14. cue — a hint
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. staff — employees
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. staff — a stick
  21. hand — help
  22. cue — a signal
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. current — electric

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