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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cell · bay · key · mine · tube · can · stock · jam

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. stock — shares
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. tube — the underground
  10. stock — goods
  11. key — for a lock
  12. mine — for digging
  13. cell — in biology
  14. key — in music
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. cell — a phone
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. key — the most important part
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. tube — a container

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