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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. firm — steady
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. spring — of water
  5. rock — music
  6. spring — a coil
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bore — to tire
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bore — to drill
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. band — a music group
  14. stock — shares
  15. rock — a stone
  16. stock — goods
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — decided
  20. spring — the season
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a rubber band

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