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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: sharp · clip · stock · squash · row · mug · saw · swing

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. clip — a video
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. stock — shares
  6. row — to paddle
  7. row — a line
  8. clip — to cut
  9. swing — in golf
  10. squash — the sport
  11. squash — to crush
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. swing — to play on
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. swing — music
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — to rob
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. mug — a face
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. clip — for paper
  24. stock — goods

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