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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: foot · suit · current · chest · stock · track · row · cue

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. row — to paddle
  4. foot — a measure
  5. suit — clothes
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — a signal
  8. stock — shares
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. current — of water
  11. suit — to fit
  12. track — a song
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. track — to keep track
  15. chest — of your body
  16. current — happening now
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cue — for pool
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. current — electric
  21. row — a line
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. track — a path
  24. stock — goods

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