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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 124 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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  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. roll — a cake
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. stand — to bear
  5. swing — music
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. wake — a trail
  10. swing — to play on
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. swing — in golf
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. hand — help
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. roll — a list
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. stock — shares
  22. hand — in cards
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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