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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 116 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 help me carry this box?
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. stock — shares
  4. bank — for money
  5. land — ground
  6. cue — for pool
  7. kid — child
  8. can — a tin
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. kid — to tease
  11. bank — for money
  12. can — a tin
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cue — a signal
  15. land — to come down
  16. wake — a trail
  17. land — a country
  18. stock — goods
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bank — of a river
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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