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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 120 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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. net — in sport
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. stock — shares
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bear — the animal
  10. game — wild animals
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. game — a match
  18. bear — the animal
  19. cue — a hint
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. net — after costs
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. net — for catching

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