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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: swing · bass · fan · stock · stand · mate · lash · hide

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. swing — in golf
  4. mate — to breed
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bass — low music
  9. mate — a friend
  10. stock — shares
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bass — the fish
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. mate — a partner
  18. stock — goods
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. swing — to play on
  23. stand — to bear
  24. swing — 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