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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 120 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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cell — in biology
  3. rock — a stone
  4. cue — a signal
  5. stock — shares
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. net — in sport
  8. stock — goods
  9. deal — to handle
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — to come from
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. mine — for digging
  15. cell — a phone
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. rock — music
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — for catching
  23. cue — a hint
  24. deal — a big deal

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