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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. fine — high quality
  3. swing — in golf
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. stock — shares
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. swing — to play on
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fine — all right
  10. cue — a hint
  11. stem — to come from
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. suit — clothes
  14. swing — music
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a signal
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. suit — to fit
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. pitch — completely
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. suit — in cards

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