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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: suit · bat · rule · bay · stock · rash · swing · rock

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. swing — music
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. rule — a law
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. swing — to play on
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bat — the animal
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. stock — goods
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. swing — in golf
  22. suit — in cards
  23. rash — a series
  24. rash — hasty

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