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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: stem · stand · jam · ball · nail · bay · rash · fork

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. fork — in a road
  4. ball — a dance
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stem — to come from
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. rash — a series
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. rash — hasty
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. bay — a horse colour

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