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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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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: bound · bay · clip · wake · stock · bank · mark · cue

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. bank — of a river
  3. clip — a video
  4. clip — for paper
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a trace
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. cue — a signal
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bank — for money
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bank — for money
  14. stock — goods
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — obliged
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. mark — a grade
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. clip — to cut
  24. stock — shares

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