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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: dip · clip · cue · mate · board · cabinet · stock · pop

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. cue — for pool
  4. clip — for paper
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. mate — a partner
  7. board — to get on
  8. stock — goods
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pop — to visit
  11. dip — to sink
  12. clip — to cut
  13. mate — a friend
  14. board — a committee
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. stock — shares
  19. mate — to breed
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. cue — a signal
  22. clip — a video
  23. pop — music
  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