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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 · snap · mate · wave · staff · swing

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. swing — in golf
  3. stock — shares
  4. mate — a partner
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. swing — to play on
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. mate — a friend
  9. swing — music
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. staff — employees
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. staff — employees
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. staff — a stick
  17. stock — goods
  18. snap — to click

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