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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. tube — a container
  7. swing — in golf
  8. firm — steady
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. band — a ring
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. cue — a signal
  15. band — a music group
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. tube — the underground
  18. cue — a hint
  19. firm — a company
  20. stock — goods
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. stock — shares
  23. firm — decided
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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