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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: stick · chip · swing · stock · leaves · trunk · suit · pitcher

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. chip — for betting
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. stock — shares
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. suit — to fit
  8. swing — music
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. suit — clothes
  15. chip — to eat
  16. swing — to play on
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stock — goods
  22. swing — in golf
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — to go away

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