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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.

Words on the sheet
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: stock · craft · arm · field · wave · swing · cue · rash

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. field — farmland
  5. swing — music
  6. rash — a series
  7. swing — in golf
  8. cue — a hint
  9. rash — hasty
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. field — for sport
  14. swing — to play on
  15. stock — goods
  16. cue — for pool
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. craft — boats
  19. cue — a signal
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. craft — a skill
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. field — a subject
  24. stock — shares

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