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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. swing — in golf
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. swing — to play on
  6. wind — moving air
  7. rock — music
  8. stock — shares
  9. swing — music
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. can — a tin
  12. vault — a safe
  13. lean — to bend
  14. rock — a stone
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. squash — the sport
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. squash — to crush
  23. wind — moving air
  24. lean — thin

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