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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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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: bank · cue · clip · hand · stem · face · charge · foot

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. cue — for pool
  4. hand — in cards
  5. bank — for money
  6. face — to point toward
  7. foot — a measure
  8. cue — a signal
  9. clip — to cut
  10. bank — of a river
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. face — to confront
  14. charge — in control
  15. stem — to come from
  16. hand — help
  17. bank — for money
  18. cue — a hint
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. clip — for paper
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — electricity
  24. clip — a video

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