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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · fine · stock · bass · mine · mate · calf · pitcher

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  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. fine — all right
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — shares
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mate — to breed
  8. cue — a signal
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. cue — for pool
  11. mate — a partner
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bass — low music
  18. mate — a friend
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. mine — for digging
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. bass — the fish
  23. stock — goods
  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