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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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: stick · pass · wake · stock · cue · bass · key · charge

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. stock — shares
  3. charge — a price
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. wake — a trail
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. key — the most important part
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pass — a permit
  15. stock — goods
  16. bass — low music
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bass — the fish
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. charge — in control
  22. key — in music
  23. charge — electricity
  24. key — for a lock

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