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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. cue — for pool
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. present — a gift
  5. bass — the fish
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. cue — a signal
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. craft — boats
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bass — low music
  15. stock — goods
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. pitch — completely
  20. present — there
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. present — the time now
  24. cue — a hint

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