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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: track · cue · date · deal · pitcher · stock · key · saw

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. stock — shares
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. key — for a lock
  5. date — the fruit
  6. deal — to handle
  7. cue — for pool
  8. key — in music
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. track — a song
  13. key — the most important part
  14. stock — goods
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. track — a path
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. track — to keep track
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — a signal

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