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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. mark — a trace
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bass — low music
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mark — a grade
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. swing — music
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. stock — shares
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. swing — in golf
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bass — the fish
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. stock — goods
  22. bat — the animal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. swing — to play on

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