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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: pass · wave · roll · bound · scale · jam · stock · foot

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. foot — a measure
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. stock — goods
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. scale — size or range
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. roll — a list
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. roll — a cake
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bound — obliged
  16. stock — shares
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. scale — in music
  21. bound — certain
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. pass — a permit
  24. stock — a soup base

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