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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 116 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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. suit — in cards
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cue — a signal
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. suit — clothes
  8. root — of a word
  9. land — to come down
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a plant
  12. land — ground
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. land — a country
  15. cue — a hint
  16. stock — shares
  17. stock — goods
  18. suit — to fit

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