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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.

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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 · saw · rush · nail · suit · racket · tear · stock

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. swing — to play on
  3. stock — shares
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. tear — from crying
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. swing — music
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stock — goods
  16. rush — hurry
  17. swing — in golf
  18. suit — in cards
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. tear — from crying
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. suit — clothes
  24. nail — for a hammer

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