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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
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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: present · swing · stock · prune · march · bay · dip · jam

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. prune — to trim
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. present — there
  5. present — the time now
  6. swing — in golf
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. dip — to sink
  9. march — the month
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. present — a gift
  12. stock — shares
  13. swing — music
  14. march — music
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — goods
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. swing — to play on
  19. prune — to trim
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. march — the month

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