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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 120 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: stock · chair · drill · cue · pitcher · mark · tube · object

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. object — to protest
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. drill — the tool
  5. object — a thing
  6. mark — a grade
  7. cue — a signal
  8. mark — a trace
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. cue — a hint
  11. tube — a container
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — the underground
  15. cue — for pool
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. drill — army training
  21. object — an aim
  22. drill — a practice
  23. chair — a leader
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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