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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. stock — shares
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pitch — completely
  6. cue — a hint
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. cue — for pool
  9. rest — a break
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. snap — to click
  13. pit — a hole
  14. rest — what's left
  15. toast — bread
  16. stock — goods
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. rest — what's left
  20. dip — to sink
  21. cue — a signal
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. pit — in a race

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