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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: patient · fork · cue · bay · perch · bound · pop · stock

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. cue — for pool
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bound — certain
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — to visit
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. fork — in a road
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bound — tied together
  17. perch — the fish
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — goods
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. cue — a signal
  22. pop — soda
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bound — obliged

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