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

Word bank: mate · nail · stock · bay · pit · present · jam · bowl

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — in a race
  4. stock — shares
  5. present — the time now
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. pit — a hole
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — there
  12. mate — a partner
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. stock — goods
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. mate — to breed
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. bowl — to roll

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