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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 · safe · fan · ground · cue · prune · content · object

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. object — an aim
  4. cue — a signal
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. stock — goods
  7. cue — a hint
  8. content — the amount
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. ground — a position
  11. stock — shares
  12. prune — to trim
  13. object — a thing
  14. content — happy
  15. ground — the earth
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. object — to protest
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. ground — crushed
  23. prune — to trim
  24. safe — a strongbox

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