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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: cue · wax · rock · pound · mine · stick · stem · bowl

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. stem — to come from
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. mine — for digging
  13. cue — a signal
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. rock — music
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wax — to grow
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. rock — a stone

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