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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: saw · bowl · stock · board · coach · jam · scale · fine

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. stock — goods
  6. fine — all right
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. board — to get on
  9. stock — shares
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. scale — size or range
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. board — a committee
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. saw — the tool
  21. scale — in music
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. fine — high quality
  24. coach — a trainer

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