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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 don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. stock — shares
  3. net — for catching
  4. lean — thin
  5. net — after costs
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rock — a stone
  10. mate — to breed
  11. snap — to click
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — to bend
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. stock — goods
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. cue — a signal
  19. mate — a friend
  20. cue — a hint
  21. net — in sport
  22. mate — a partner
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. cue — for pool

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