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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 can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. stock — goods
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. squash — the sport
  7. squash — to crush
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. stock — shares
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. cue — a hint
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. cue — a signal
  16. key — in music
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. rush — hurry
  19. key — the most important part
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. key — for a lock
  22. sharp — clever
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. sharp — with an edge

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