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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: wave · pitcher · dip · bowl · stock · mine · cue · rash

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. stock — goods
  3. cue — a hint
  4. stock — shares
  5. cue — a signal
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. cue — for pool
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. rash — a series
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. mine — for digging
  18. rash — hasty
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. mine — an explosive
  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