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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. season — in sport
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. club — for dancing
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — a hint
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. club — for golf
  15. season — of the year
  16. stock — goods
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bark — to shout
  20. stock — shares
  21. club — a group
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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