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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ruler · stock · squash · suit · date · row · swing · firm

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. stock — goods
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. suit — to fit
  8. stock — shares
  9. row — a line
  10. firm — a company
  11. swing — to play on
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. date — the fruit
  14. firm — steady
  15. swing — in golf
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. row — to paddle
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. suit — clothes
  21. squash — the sport
  22. firm — decided
  23. squash — to crush
  24. suit — in cards

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