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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 120 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: suit · club · stock · stick · court · rock · cue · band

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. cue — a hint
  3. court — of a king
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. court — for sport
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. band — a ring
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a signal
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. club — for dancing
  14. rock — a stone
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. stock — shares
  17. rock — music
  18. club — a group
  19. suit — to fit
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. club — for golf
  22. stock — goods
  23. court — of law
  24. band — a music group

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