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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 116 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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. firm — a company
  3. stock — goods
  4. stock — shares
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. bound — tied together
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cue — a signal
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bound — obliged
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. firm — decided
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. cue — for pool
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. firm — steady
  20. bound — certain
  21. cue — a hint
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. rush — hurry

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