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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 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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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. rest — what's left
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. race — humankind
  6. race — a contest
  7. pop — to visit
  8. stock — goods
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pop — soda
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cue — a hint
  15. wake — a trail
  16. pop — music
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. stock — shares
  21. rest — a break
  22. cue — a signal
  23. race — the arms race
  24. pitcher — a jug

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