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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. stock — goods
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. staff — employees
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bound — certain
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. cap — a hat
  9. staff — employees
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bound — tied together
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a committee
  17. stock — shares
  18. game — a match
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. cap — of ice
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. staff — a stick
  23. cue — a hint
  24. game — wild animals

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