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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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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: saw · cue · bowl · stand · arm · stock · press · racket

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stock — shares
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a hint
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. saw — the tool
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stock — goods
  13. press — to push
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. press — a publisher
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. saw — the tool
  22. press — newspapers
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bowl — a football final

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