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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. cue — for pool
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stock — goods
  5. stock — shares
  6. mug — a cup
  7. degree — an amount
  8. bank — of a river
  9. degree — from a university
  10. bank — for money
  11. pitch — completely
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. degree — temperature
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bank — for money
  19. rock — music
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rock — a stone
  23. mug — a face
  24. mug — to rob

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