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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: firm · court · stock · root · bear · lash · cue · spring

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — steady
  4. cue — for pool
  5. spring — of water
  6. cue — a hint
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. root — the cause
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. court — of law
  12. court — for sport
  13. bear — the animal
  14. spring — a coil
  15. stock — shares
  16. root — of a plant
  17. spring — the season
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. court — of a king
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. firm — decided
  23. stock — goods
  24. root — of a word

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