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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. bound — certain
  3. cue — a signal
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. stock — goods
  7. spring — a coil
  8. cue — a hint
  9. stock — shares
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. spring — of water
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. spring — the season
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bound — tied together
  16. key — for a lock
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. key — in music
  19. key — the most important part
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bound — obliged
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. foot — the bottom

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