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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — to play on
  3. file — a tool
  4. root — of a word
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. stock — shares
  8. pitch — completely
  9. file — a document
  10. root — the cause
  11. stock — goods
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. swing — in golf
  16. root — of a plant
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. prune — to trim
  19. file — a line of people
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. firm — steady
  22. deal — to handle
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — decided

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