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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 · bowl · racket · trunk · swing · chest · plane · bass

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bass — the fish
  9. swing — to play on
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. chest — of your body
  12. swing — in golf
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. stock — goods
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. stock — shares
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. chest — of your body
  19. swing — music
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bass — low music

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