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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. squash — to crush
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bear — the animal
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. cue — a signal
  8. stock — shares
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bark — to shout
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stock — goods
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bear — the animal
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. squash — the sport
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. kick — in football
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. stand — to bear
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a hint

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