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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: cold · fine · bulb · stock · cue · pop · stick · cabinet

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pop — to visit
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. cold — an illness
  6. stock — goods
  7. pop — music
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pop — soda
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. cold — not warm
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cue — for pool
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — high quality
  22. stock — shares
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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