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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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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: stock · bay · kid · cue · pop · straw · arm · ruler

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — child
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. cue — for pool
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. cue — a hint
  11. pop — soda
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. pop — music
  18. pop — to visit
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. cue — a signal
  22. kid — to tease
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — shares

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