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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 120 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: cue · stock · court · object · stem · current · pop · bound

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. cue — for pool
  3. current — electric
  4. pop — to visit
  5. court — of a king
  6. current — of water
  7. bound — certain
  8. stock — shares
  9. object — to protest
  10. court — for sport
  11. object — an aim
  12. stem — to come from
  13. bound — tied together
  14. pop — soda
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bound — obliged
  17. pop — music
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. cue — a hint
  20. court — of law
  21. stock — goods
  22. object — a thing
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. cue — a signal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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