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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: sharp · root · last · stick · date · cue · tube · stock

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. cue — a signal
  4. tube — a container
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. stock — shares
  7. last — final
  8. last — finally
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. cue — for pool
  12. tube — the underground
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. root — of a word
  16. last — to go on
  17. sharp — clever
  18. root — the cause
  19. date — the fruit
  20. root — of a plant
  21. stock — goods
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. cue — a hint
  24. sharp — with an edge

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