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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 120 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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. swing — in golf
  3. suit — in cards
  4. tube — a container
  5. board — to get on
  6. spell — magic
  7. tube — the underground
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. object — a thing
  10. spell — a short time
  11. swing — music
  12. object — an aim
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. board — a committee
  15. object — to protest
  16. swing — to play on
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. suit — clothes
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. stock — goods
  21. suit — to fit
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. spell — letters

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