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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: stock · squash · dip · key · current · lash · suit · swing

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. squash — the sport
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. suit — to fit
  5. key — for a lock
  6. current — of water
  7. dip — to sink
  8. swing — to play on
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. suit — clothes
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — shares
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. key — the most important part
  16. suit — in cards
  17. current — happening now
  18. stock — goods
  19. squash — to crush
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. current — electric
  22. key — in music
  23. swing — in golf
  24. dip — to dunk

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