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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 116 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: stock · saw · fine · season · track · cue · swing · bulb

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — a signal
  4. fine — all right
  5. season — of the year
  6. track — to keep track
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. cue — for pool
  9. track — a song
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bulb — for light
  12. saw — the tool
  13. track — a path
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. season — in sport
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. stock — shares
  20. swing — in golf
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — music
  23. stock — goods
  24. bulb — for light

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