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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · pitch · cue · wake · jam · cap · leaves · present

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. cue — a signal
  3. stock — shares
  4. pitch — completely
  5. stock — goods
  6. cue — for pool
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. cap — of ice
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. cue — a hint
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. present — the time now
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. present — a gift
  21. cap — a lid
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. cap — a hat
  24. wake — a trail

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