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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: cue · season · pound · rock · ruler · stock · degree · fine

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. degree — temperature
  3. season — of the year
  4. stock — shares
  5. cue — for pool
  6. rock — music
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. degree — from a university
  9. cue — a signal
  10. rock — a stone
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stock — goods
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. degree — an amount
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. pound — a weight
  17. season — in sport
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. fine — all right
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. cue — a hint
  24. ruler — for measuring

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