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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. stock — goods
  3. last — finally
  4. stand — to bear
  5. vault — a safe
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. last — final
  11. chip — for betting
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. mate — a friend
  15. last — to go on
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. chip — to eat
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mate — to breed
  21. stock — shares
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. stock — a soup base

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