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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  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. date — on the calendar
  2. cue — a signal
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. stock — shares
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. firm — steady
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. fine — all right
  12. date — the fruit
  13. fine — high quality
  14. firm — decided
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. stock — goods
  20. cue — for pool
  21. firm — a company
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. leaves — to go away
  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