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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
468
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: prune · rest · mouse · object · rash · cabinet · cue · stock

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — goods
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rash — a series
  8. object — to protest
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. object — a thing
  11. cue — a hint
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. cue — a signal
  14. object — an aim
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rest — a break
  19. prune — to trim
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cabinet — ministers

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