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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: jam · stock · court · bank · pit · last · can · saw

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bank — for money
  3. pit — a hole
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. court — for sport
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. saw — the tool
  9. last — to go on
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bank — of a river
  13. pit — in a race
  14. can — a tin
  15. last — final
  16. can — a tin
  17. court — of law
  18. stock — goods
  19. saw — the tool
  20. court — of a king
  21. stock — shares
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. last — finally
  24. bank — for money

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