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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: swing · stock · bass · track · board · staff · stick · firm

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — goods
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. swing — music
  7. firm — a company
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bass — low music
  11. stock — shares
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. swing — in golf
  14. board — a committee
  15. swing — to play on
  16. firm — steady
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a path
  19. firm — decided
  20. staff — employees
  21. board — to get on
  22. staff — employees
  23. track — a song
  24. bass — the fish

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