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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  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. cue — a signal
  2. stock — goods
  3. rush — hurry
  4. game — wild animals
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bound — tied together
  7. cue — for pool
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. bound — obliged
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pound — a weight
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. game — a match
  18. bound — certain
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stock — shares
  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