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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. kid — child
  3. cue — a hint
  4. stock — goods
  5. stock — shares
  6. kid — to tease
  7. shower — to wash
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. shower — rain
  10. cue — for pool
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. key — the most important part
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. cue — a signal
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. key — for a lock
  18. ruler — for measuring

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