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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. court — of a king
  4. mark — a trace
  5. court — of law
  6. suit — in cards
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. suit — clothes
  9. chair — a leader
  10. stock — shares
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. stock — goods
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. suit — to fit
  20. cue — a hint
  21. squash — to crush
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. court — for sport
  24. squash — the sport

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