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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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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: cue · bark · content · bay · stock · safe · plane · cell

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. content — happy
  4. cell — a phone
  5. stock — goods
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. cell — in biology
  11. plane — a tool
  12. content — the amount
  13. bark — to shout
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. stock — shares
  24. plane — an aircraft

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