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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. scale — size or range
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bore — to drill
  8. scale — in music
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. swing — music
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bore — to tire
  13. swing — in golf
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. stock — goods
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. date — the fruit
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. stock — shares
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. swing — to play on

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