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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: bay · cue · stock · leaves · game · pit · board · race

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. cue — a hint
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. game — a match
  6. board — to get on
  7. pit — in a race
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. race — the arms race
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. game — wild animals
  13. race — a contest
  14. board — a committee
  15. cue — a signal
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. race — humankind
  18. pit — a hole
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. stock — shares
  23. cue — for pool
  24. stock — goods

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