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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: pit · branch · scale · jam · fan · stock

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. pit — in a race
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — goods
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. scale — in music
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — a division
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. stock — shares
  15. scale — size or range
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pit — a hole

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