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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: stem · cell · cue · craft · firm · ball · nail · snap

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. cell — a phone
  6. snap — to click
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. cue — a hint
  9. firm — steady
  10. cue — for pool
  11. stem — to come from
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a great time
  14. firm — a company
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. craft — boats
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cue — a signal
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. firm — decided
  24. cell — in biology

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