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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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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: swing · stick · stock · fine · dip · rest · game · craft

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. swing — music
  6. dip — to sink
  7. swing — in golf
  8. rest — what's left
  9. game — a match
  10. game — wild animals
  11. swing — to play on
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stock — goods
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. fine — all right
  18. stock — shares
  19. craft — boats
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. craft — a skill
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stock — a soup base

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