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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: dip · net · stock · cabinet · fan · swing · ruler · season

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. season — in sport
  3. stock — shares
  4. net — for catching
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. net — in sport
  7. season — of the year
  8. net — after costs
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. swing — music
  14. dip — to sink
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. stock — goods
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. swing — in golf
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stock — a soup base

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