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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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. nail — on a finger
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — a stick
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. chip — for betting
  16. swing — music
  17. chip — to eat
  18. stock — goods
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. stock — shares
  24. staff — employees

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