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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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. suit — clothes
  4. can — to be able to
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. can — a tin
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. stock — shares
  10. suit — to fit
  11. can — a tin
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. rock — a stone
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. swing — in golf
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bat — the animal
  18. stock — goods
  19. suit — in cards
  20. rock — music
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. swing — music
  24. fan — a supporter

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