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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: bat · rush · cue · stock · club · bay · safe · pound

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. club — for dancing
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stock — shares
  9. bat — the animal
  10. club — for golf
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. stock — goods
  14. club — a group
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. pound — a weight
  20. cue — a signal
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. cue — for pool
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stock — a soup base

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