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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. swing — music
  3. stock — goods
  4. swing — in golf
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. row — to paddle
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. can — a tin
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bore — to tire
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. stock — shares
  15. bore — to drill
  16. rash — hasty
  17. swing — to play on
  18. can — a tin
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. row — a line
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a skill
  24. can — to be able to

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