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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: craft · suit · stock · cue · mug · ground · race · board

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. board — to get on
  3. suit — clothes
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stock — shares
  6. cue — for pool
  7. ground — a position
  8. mug — a face
  9. stock — goods
  10. suit — to fit
  11. ground — crushed
  12. race — humankind
  13. craft — boats
  14. cue — a hint
  15. board — a committee
  16. race — the arms race
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. mug — to rob
  19. race — a contest
  20. craft — a skill
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mug — a cup
  24. ground — the earth

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