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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: rest · stock · suit · track · net · pop · cue · bear

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. rest — what's left
  3. suit — clothes
  4. cue — a hint
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. cue — a signal
  7. track — a song
  8. net — for catching
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — soda
  11. rest — a break
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. stock — goods
  14. track — a path
  15. stock — shares
  16. bear — the animal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bear — the animal
  19. suit — in cards
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — in sport
  22. track — to keep track
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rest — what's left

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