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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: sharp · kid · cue · arm · spring · fine · stock · bear

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bear — the animal
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. fine — all right
  8. cue — a hint
  9. kid — child
  10. cue — for pool
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. spring — of water
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. fine — high quality
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. spring — a coil
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. sharp — clever
  22. spring — the season
  23. kid — to tease
  24. cue — a signal

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