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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 120 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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. cue — for pool
  4. mug — a cup
  5. rash — hasty
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. rash — a series
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mug — a face
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. cue — a hint
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. bulb — for light
  15. fine — all right
  16. row — a line
  17. cue — a signal
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fine — high quality
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mug — to rob
  23. stock — shares
  24. row — to paddle

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