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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. swing — in golf
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wound — an injury
  6. swing — music
  7. mark — a trace
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. firm — steady
  13. track — a song
  14. swing — to play on
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. firm — decided
  17. stock — shares
  18. mark — a grade
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a path
  21. rash — hasty
  22. firm — a company
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. rash — a series

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