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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. object — an aim
  3. stock — goods
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. file — a tool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. mate — a friend
  8. file — a line of people
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. file — a document
  12. cue — for pool
  13. ball — a great time
  14. object — to protest
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — music
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. mate — a partner
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. ball — a dance
  21. mate — to breed
  22. object — a thing
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. stock — shares

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