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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: tube · mug · stock · fine · drill · ground · snap · cue

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. ground — crushed
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. ground — the earth
  7. fine — high quality
  8. stock — shares
  9. snap — to click
  10. cue — a hint
  11. drill — a practice
  12. fine — all right
  13. drill — army training
  14. cue — a signal
  15. tube — the underground
  16. mug — a cup
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. ground — a position
  19. tube — a container
  20. mug — a face
  21. stock — goods
  22. drill — the tool
  23. cue — for pool
  24. mug — to rob

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