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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 116 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: cold · mouse · stem · pound · dip · cabinet · coach · bowl

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. cold — not warm
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — to come from
  14. pound — a weight
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. cold — an illness
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. dip — to sink

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