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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: object · lash · cue · court · tear · stem · bank · ball

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. cue — a hint
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — to rip
  8. cue — a signal
  9. object — an aim
  10. cue — for pool
  11. object — to protest
  12. bank — for money
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. court — for sport
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. court — of a king
  17. object — a thing
  18. stem — to come from
  19. bank — of a river
  20. ball — a great time
  21. tear — from crying
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bank — for money
  24. ball — a dance

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