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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 120 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: craft · pitcher · stock · swing · dip · club · season · rock

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. stock — goods
  3. club — for dancing
  4. rock — a stone
  5. club — a group
  6. season — in sport
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. club — for golf
  12. rock — music
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. craft — boats
  16. swing — in golf
  17. season — of the year
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — shares
  22. dip — to sink
  23. swing — to play on
  24. swing — music

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