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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: swing · tear · cue · can · stock · toast · jam · net

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. cue — a signal
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. swing — to play on
  5. cue — for pool
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. net — after costs
  8. tear — from crying
  9. net — for catching
  10. tear — to rip
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. swing — music
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. toast — bread
  17. cue — a hint
  18. net — in sport
  19. can — a tin
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. stock — shares
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. stock — goods
  24. swing — in golf

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