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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: tube · rest · stock · bay · press · chair · cue · ground

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. rest — a break
  5. ground — a position
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. press — a publisher
  8. stock — shares
  9. tube — the underground
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. chair — a leader
  13. cue — a hint
  14. press — newspapers
  15. ground — the earth
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. ground — crushed
  19. stock — goods
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. rest — what's left
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. press — to push
  24. tube — a container

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