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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: cue · calf · drill · jam · stock · wound · rock · chair

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. stock — goods
  4. chair — a leader
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cue — for pool
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wound — an injury
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. stock — shares
  15. drill — the tool
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — music
  18. drill — army training
  19. drill — a practice
  20. wound — an injury
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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