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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. staff — employees
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — to sink
  5. mark — a trace
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. sharp — clever
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. swing — to play on
  12. mark — a grade
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. swing — in golf
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. stock — goods
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. chair — a leader
  20. staff — employees
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. staff — a stick
  24. mark — to pay attention

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