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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 120 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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. can — to be able to
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. pound — a weight
  5. cue — for pool
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. cue — a signal
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. can — a tin
  11. vault — a safe
  12. rush — hurry
  13. stock — shares
  14. can — a tin
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. cue — a hint
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cell — in biology
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. rush — a thrill

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