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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: swing · scale · plane · jam · stock · mouse · pound · fan

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stock — shares
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. swing — in golf
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. stock — goods
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. scale — in music
  14. swing — to play on
  15. swing — music
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — a weight
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. scale — size or range

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