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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: stock · craft · coach · cue · pop · mate · prune · tube

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. prune — to trim
  5. stock — goods
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. pop — to visit
  9. stock — shares
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. prune — to trim
  12. cue — a signal
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. cue — a hint
  17. craft — a skill
  18. pop — music
  19. tube — the underground
  20. craft — boats
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a partner
  23. cue — for pool
  24. mate — a friend

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