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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. dip — to sink
  3. staff — employees
  4. wake — a trail
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. swing — to play on
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. staff — employees
  9. swing — music
  10. row — to paddle
  11. stock — goods
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. staff — a stick
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stock — shares
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. row — a line

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