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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: row · wave · cue · bay · pop · temple · perch · stock

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. pop — soda
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. row — a line
  7. stock — goods
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. perch — the fish
  11. pop — to visit
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. cue — a hint
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. pop — music
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. row — to paddle
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bay — a horse colour

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