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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. cue — a signal
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — for pool
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stock — shares
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pitch — completely

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