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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: stock · track · swing · rash · rest · plane · dip · fall

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. swing — music
  4. rest — what's left
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. rash — hasty
  8. swing — in golf
  9. stock — goods
  10. rest — a break
  11. dip — to sink
  12. plane — a tool
  13. rash — a series
  14. stock — shares
  15. swing — to play on
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — the season
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a path
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. fall — to drop
  23. track — a song
  24. rest — what's left

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