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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: pop · rock · bear · dip · stock · ball · key · cue

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a dance
  4. stock — goods
  5. bear — the animal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a signal
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — the most important part
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rock — music
  18. stock — shares
  19. ball — a great time
  20. key — in music
  21. pop — soda
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. dip — to sink

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