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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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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: wave · staff · stem · hide · cue · pitch · mark · ruler

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. mark — a grade
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. cue — for pool
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. staff — employees
  10. stem — to come from
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a trace
  14. cue — a hint
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pitch — completely
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. staff — a stick
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cue — a signal
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wave — of the sea

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