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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. cue — for pool
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. last — to go on
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. firm — a company
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. firm — steady
  9. game — a match
  10. stock — goods
  11. mug — a face
  12. game — wild animals
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mug — a cup
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. last — final
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. firm — decided
  21. cue — a signal
  22. stock — shares
  23. chair — a leader
  24. mug — to rob

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