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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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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — in golf
  3. swing — music
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. firm — decided
  6. prune — to trim
  7. firm — a company
  8. key — for a lock
  9. prune — to trim
  10. pit — a hole
  11. key — in music
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pit — in a race
  19. firm — steady
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. key — the most important part
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — goods

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