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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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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stock — shares
  3. swing — to play on
  4. craft — a skill
  5. object — to protest
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stock — goods
  8. object — an aim
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. swing — music
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. object — a thing
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bat — the animal
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. board — to get on
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. craft — boats
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. board — a committee

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