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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: stick · last · stock · craft · jam · content · net · drill

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. last — finally
  3. content — the amount
  4. content — happy
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. net — in sport
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. last — to go on
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. net — for catching
  12. drill — a practice
  13. stock — goods
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a skill
  16. drill — the tool
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. drill — army training
  21. last — final
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. net — after costs

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