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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: cue · stem · toast · object · kid · chest · bore · date

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. date — the fruit
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. kid — to tease
  5. stem — to come from
  6. object — a thing
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. chest — of your body
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — to drill
  11. kid — child
  12. chest — a box
  13. chest — of your body
  14. cue — for pool
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. cue — a signal
  18. object — an aim
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. toast — bread
  23. cue — a hint
  24. object — to protest

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