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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 116 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: cue · firm · stock · saw · net · charge · band · racket

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. cue — for pool
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. firm — a company
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. net — in sport
  7. charge — electricity
  8. cue — a hint
  9. band — a music group
  10. saw — the tool
  11. charge — in control
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. net — for catching
  14. firm — decided
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. charge — a price
  18. stock — goods
  19. band — a ring
  20. saw — the tool
  21. net — after costs
  22. stock — shares
  23. firm — steady
  24. cue — a signal

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