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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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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: wake · deal · firm · stock · tear · jam · stand · bowl

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. wake — a trail
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. tear — to rip
  5. firm — a company
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. tear — from crying
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. tear — from crying
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. stock — goods
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — steady
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. stand — to bear
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  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