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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: jam · rash · board · stock · cap · lie · mark · swing

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rash — hasty
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. swing — to play on
  6. stock — goods
  7. board — a committee
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mark — a trace
  11. swing — music
  12. lie — to recline
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cap — a hat
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. cap — of ice
  18. mark — a grade
  19. board — to get on
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. rash — a series
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. swing — in golf

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