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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: fine · roll · cue · mouse · stock · dip · mark · chest

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. roll — a cake
  3. stock — goods
  4. mark — a trace
  5. fine — all right
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. stock — shares
  8. chest — of your body
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. roll — a list
  11. cue — for pool
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. chest — of your body
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. dip — to sink
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. fine — high quality
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. dip — to dunk

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