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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 · track · rash · fine · fall · row · fan · stock

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. row — to paddle
  3. fine — all right
  4. track — a path
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. rash — a series
  7. fall — to drop
  8. stock — shares
  9. rash — hasty
  10. track — a song
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fall — the season
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. row — a line
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fine — high quality
  24. track — to keep track

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