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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. pound — a weight
  4. cue — a signal
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. cue — for pool
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. stock — goods
  10. pass — a permit
  11. plane — a tool
  12. suit — clothes
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. suit — in cards
  15. degree — from a university
  16. cue — a hint
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. degree — temperature
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. dip — to sink
  22. suit — to fit
  23. stock — shares
  24. degree — an amount

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