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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: pit · wake · firm · cue · stock · leaves · mate · ground

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. stock — goods
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. pit — in a race
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. ground — the earth
  8. cue — a signal
  9. wake — a trail
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. firm — steady
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. cue — for pool
  16. ground — a position
  17. mate — a friend
  18. cue — a hint
  19. stock — shares
  20. mate — a partner
  21. ground — crushed
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — decided
  24. pit — a hole

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