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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: fall · stem · bore · content · sharp · bank · cue · staff

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. cue — a signal
  3. staff — employees
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. bore — to tire
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — the season
  13. stem — to come from
  14. sharp — clever
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. bore — to drill
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bank — of a river
  20. staff — a stick
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. content — the amount
  23. cue — for pool
  24. content — happy

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