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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: stock · track · cue · date · racket · game · can · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. cue — for pool
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. stock — shares
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. track — to keep track
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. game — wild animals
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. track — a song
  11. cue — a signal
  12. stock — goods
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — the fruit
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. can — a tin
  17. cue — a hint
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. game — a match
  22. track — a path
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. saw — the tool

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