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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stock · ruler · swing · race · dip · leaves

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. swing — music
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. stock — shares
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. dip — to sink
  10. race — the arms race
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. race — humankind
  14. swing — to play on
  15. swing — in golf
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. race — a contest
  18. stock — a soup base

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