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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  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. rash — a series
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. march — music
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bat — the animal
  6. march — the month
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. wake — a trail
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. stock — goods
  14. cue — a signal
  15. rash — hasty
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. march — the month
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. stock — shares
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  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