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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: stock · cue · net · pass · fine · fork · shower · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. net — for catching
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pass — a permit
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. shower — to wash
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. fork — in a road
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. stock — goods
  14. cue — for pool
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — high quality
  17. net — after costs
  18. cue — a hint
  19. fine — all right
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. shower — rain
  22. net — in sport
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. fork — to eat with

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