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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 120 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 · cue · foot · wave · kid · coach · lie · wound

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. cue — a signal
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. foot — a measure
  5. wound — an injury
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. kid — child
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stem — to come from
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cue — for pool
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. kid — to tease
  19. cue — a hint
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. stem — of a plant

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