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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cue — a signal
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. mug — a face
  6. stock — goods
  7. track — to keep track
  8. mug — to rob
  9. cap — of ice
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. present — the time now
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. present — a gift
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. mug — a cup
  17. cue — for pool
  18. sharp — clever
  19. present — there
  20. track — a song
  21. track — a path
  22. foot — a measure
  23. cap — a hat
  24. stock — shares

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