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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: stock · sharp · jam · rash · deal · object · roll · branch

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. stock — goods
  7. roll — a cake
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. rash — a series
  11. deal — to handle
  12. branch — a division
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. roll — a list
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. stock — shares
  18. object — a thing
  19. rash — hasty
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. object — to protest
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. sharp — clever

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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