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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: stock · band · spell · cue · lie · last · chair · suit

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cue — for pool
  4. last — final
  5. spell — letters
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. last — to go on
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — goods
  10. suit — in cards
  11. band — a music group
  12. cue — a signal
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. spell — magic
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. cue — a hint
  17. last — finally
  18. suit — to fit
  19. spell — a short time
  20. chair — a leader
  21. suit — clothes
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. band — a ring

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