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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — for pool
  4. toast — bread
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bulb — for light
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. firm — steady
  10. cue — a signal
  11. firm — decided
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. firm — a company
  14. stock — shares
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. net — after costs
  17. pop — music
  18. pop — to visit
  19. net — for catching
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. stock — goods
  22. bulb — for light
  23. net — in sport
  24. pop — soda

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