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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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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: prune · wave · stick · race · face · stem · cap · cue

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. cue — a signal
  4. race — humankind
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stem — to come from
  7. face — to confront
  8. cue — for pool
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. cue — a hint
  11. race — a contest
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — of ice
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. prune — to trim
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. race — the arms race
  23. face — part of the head
  24. cap — a hat

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