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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: swing · nail · rush · stock · race · chest · suit · racket

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. suit — in cards
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. race — the arms race
  6. swing — music
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. suit — clothes
  10. swing — to play on
  11. chest — of your body
  12. swing — in golf
  13. race — humankind
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — goods
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rush — hurry
  19. suit — to fit
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. race — a contest
  23. chest — a box
  24. chest — of your body

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