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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: stock · pitch · jam · roll · bay · rush

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pitch — completely
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. roll — a cake
  11. roll — a list
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — goods
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. rush — hurry

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