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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 120 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: temple · club · tube · stick · dip · swing · leaves · stock

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. swing — music
  3. stock — shares
  4. club — for golf
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. swing — in golf
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. club — a group
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. swing — to play on
  17. tube — a container
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. stock — goods
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. club — for dancing
  24. leaves — of a tree

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