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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. swing — in golf
  4. staff — a stick
  5. mug — to rob
  6. dip — to sink
  7. rock — music
  8. swing — music
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. stock — goods
  12. swing — to play on
  13. mug — a face
  14. rock — a stone
  15. cell — in biology
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. mug — a cup
  18. cell — a phone
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. rock — to move gently

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