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

Word bank: swing · rest · bowl · wound · stock · ruler

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. rest — a break
  4. stock — goods
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. swing — music
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. swing — in golf
  13. stock — shares
  14. wound — an injury
  15. rest — what's left
  16. swing — to play on
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bowl — a dish

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