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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: stand · can · stock · wake · branch · jam · key · sharp

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. can — a tin
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. can — to be able to
  8. stock — goods
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. key — the most important part
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. sharp — clever
  16. stand — to bear
  17. key — for a lock
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. can — a tin
  20. branch — a division
  21. key — in music
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. stock — shares

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