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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. present — there
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bear — the animal
  5. date — the fruit
  6. stock — goods
  7. bear — the animal
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. present — the time now
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a hint
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. firm — steady
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. tube — a container
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. present — a gift
  21. firm — decided
  22. tube — the underground
  23. craft — boats
  24. firm — a company

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