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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: rest · stick · stock · wound · stand · swing · racket · bass

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. rest — what's left
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. wound — an injury
  8. stock — shares
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. swing — to play on
  11. stand — to bear
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. swing — music
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — a break
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. stock — goods
  20. swing — in golf
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bass — low music
  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