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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 120 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: cue · wake · pitch · stock · leaves · suit · lie · hand

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. stock — shares
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. cue — for pool
  7. stock — goods
  8. cue — a hint
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. pitch — completely
  12. suit — clothes
  13. lie — to recline
  14. hand — in cards
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wake — a trail
  17. hand — help
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. suit — in cards
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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