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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: toast · cue · lie · lean · key · fan · stock · pitcher

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lean — thin
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. cue — a signal
  8. key — in music
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — shares
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. key — for a lock
  14. lean — to bend
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. toast — bread
  19. cue — a hint
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. key — the most important part
  24. pitcher — a jug

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