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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: club · bass · bowl · cue · stock · tube · fork · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bass — the fish
  3. tube — a container
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. club — for golf
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — in a road
  8. stock — goods
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. club — for dancing
  11. cue — for pool
  12. tube — the underground
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. club — a group
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. cue — a signal
  17. stock — shares
  18. bass — low music
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. cue — a hint
  24. tube — in a tire

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