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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  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. stock — shares
  2. roll — a cake
  3. swing — music
  4. current — of water
  5. mate — to breed
  6. staff — employees
  7. swing — in golf
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. roll — a list
  11. stock — goods
  12. current — happening now
  13. suit — clothes
  14. mate — a friend
  15. suit — to fit
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mate — a partner
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. current — electric
  20. swing — to play on
  21. suit — in cards
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. staff — a stick
  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