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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. stock — goods
  4. season — of the year
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stock — shares
  11. season — in sport
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. bass — low music
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bass — the fish
  18. chest — of your body
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. chest — a box
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. chest — of your body

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