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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. tube — a container
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. clip — to cut
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. cue — for pool
  10. clip — a video
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. clip — for paper
  16. key — the most important part
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. tube — the underground
  19. stock — shares
  20. key — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. cue — a signal
  23. pass — a permit
  24. stock — goods

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