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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 116 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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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: row · net · swing · stock · kid · bass · wake · suit

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  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 — in golf
  2. swing — music
  3. wake — a trail
  4. kid — child
  5. net — in sport
  6. stock — shares
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bass — low music
  9. row — a line
  10. kid — to tease
  11. row — to paddle
  12. bass — the fish
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. net — after costs
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. net — for catching
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. stock — goods
  23. swing — to play on
  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