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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. stock — shares
  3. cue — for pool
  4. object — an aim
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. rest — a break
  7. stock — goods
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. spring — a coil
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. rest — what's left
  14. object — to protest
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bear — the animal
  17. spring — of water
  18. bear — the animal
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. object — a thing
  23. spring — the season
  24. racket — for tennis

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