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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: fork · kid · cue · firm · coach · current · pit · stem

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. cue — a hint
  5. firm — a company
  6. pit — a hole
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. current — happening now
  9. pit — in a race
  10. kid — to tease
  11. current — electric
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. firm — steady
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. stem — to come from
  18. cue — a signal
  19. current — of water
  20. kid — child
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. fork — in a road
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. firm — decided

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