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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: fork · mouse · stem · face · cue · bulb · arm · chair

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. cue — a signal
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. chair — a leader
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. face — to point toward
  12. stem — to come from
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. cue — for pool
  20. fork — in a road
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. cue — a hint
  23. face — to confront
  24. face — part of the head

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