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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. pass — a permit
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. file — a document
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. spell — a short time
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. spell — letters
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. cue — a signal
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stock — shares
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — part of the head
  17. cue — a hint
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. spell — magic
  20. file — a line of people
  21. face — to point toward
  22. file — a tool
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. stock — goods

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