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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: arm · stick · stem · swing · net · suit · racket · content

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — in golf
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. content — the amount
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. net — after costs
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stem — to come from
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. suit — clothes
  13. content — happy
  14. net — for catching
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. net — in sport
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. swing — to play on
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. racket — for tennis

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