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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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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: fork · firm · pit · stock · cue · charge · pitcher · bay

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. stock — shares
  3. cue — a signal
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. cue — for pool
  6. charge — a price
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. firm — decided
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. stock — goods
  12. firm — a company
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. charge — electricity
  15. firm — steady
  16. charge — in control
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. fork — in a road
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. pit — in a race

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