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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 116 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: prune · rash · stock · racket · firm · bat · safe · cue

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. cue — a hint
  3. firm — a company
  4. rash — hasty
  5. stock — shares
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rash — a series
  10. cue — a signal
  11. prune — to trim
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stock — goods
  14. firm — decided
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. cue — for pool
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. firm — steady
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. prune — to trim
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. racket — for tennis

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