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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. pop — soda
  3. cue — for pool
  4. stand — to bear
  5. race — the arms race
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — a container
  10. stock — shares
  11. pop — to visit
  12. vault — a safe
  13. spell — magic
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. spell — a short time
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cue — a hint
  20. spell — letters
  21. race — humankind
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. pop — music
  24. race — a contest

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