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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: cue · swing · chip · deal · jam · craft · stock · last

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. last — finally
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. swing — in golf
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. last — to go on
  8. stock — goods
  9. swing — music
  10. cue — a signal
  11. last — final
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. swing — to play on
  14. cue — a hint
  15. chip — for betting
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a skill
  19. cue — for pool
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. chip — to eat
  22. deal — to handle
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. stock — shares

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