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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: pop · mouse · object · leaves · cue · hand · root · stock

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stock — goods
  3. cue — a signal
  4. object — to protest
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. pop — to visit
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. object — a thing
  9. pop — music
  10. object — an aim
  11. root — of a word
  12. hand — in cards
  13. pop — soda
  14. hand — help
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. root — of a plant
  20. stock — shares
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. root — the cause
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a hint

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